Three Families
by orphan mia
Summary: Hiei is the Boss of the Jaganshi crime Family. Botan was caught in the middle of something that she could never understand. When the bewildered girl is taken in by them, will love come through unexpectedly? HB Review! COMPLETE!
1. Jaganshi Family

The Three Families : Jaganshi Family

A/N: Hey guys! Oh man, I got a mother of a story right here! Please read and review! Um, that's pretty much it for now. By the way, this is kinda AU, because I mean, it's about crime families. But it's still HB and it has all the Yu Yu Hakusho characters! Woot!

I

"Thank you, thank you so much for excepting me into the family."

A red haired man was on his knees, and his Irish accent was so alluring that the Boss himself found it interesting. The Second in Command looked at the man on the ground, kissing the Boss's rings. His emerald eyes shimmered. He was pleased that the Boss took the man into the Family.

"Get off of the floor."

The man jumped up energetically. He was young.

"Yes, sir!"

The Boss smirked, raising an eyebrow and stealing a glance from his Second in Command.

"Don't call me sir." The young man fell silent and nodded, swallowing some saliva. "Kurama, show him around." The Boss stood and looked back at his Second in Command, who was leading the new inductee away. "Make sure Jin feels at home."

Kurama bowed his head slightly, his red locks falling in front of his face.

"Of course." The Boss nodded and walked out of his house. That was when he heard his Second in Command call after him. "Where are you going?"

The short black haired man stopped, his black overcoat stopping.

"The Library."

II

"Listen, if you want Kuwabara to win his trial, use Koenma! He's ours! Plus, him and me go way back, trust me, this guy is good!"

The Boss let his Consigliere, or Advisor, keep talking, as long as he kept his eyes on the road.

"Hn. I know. How much does he want?"

The Advisor gritted his teeth.

"Three hundred thousand."

The Boss crossed his arms.

"Koenma is getting too greedy. Tell him two hundred and fifty will do fine."

The Advisor looked at his Boss. He smiled at him.

"Good thinking." A pause. The Advisor pulled into a parking space near the Library. The Consigliere got out of the car and opened the door for the Boss. "Do you want me to come in with you?"

The Boss got out, adjusting his jacket.

"Do what you want. Don't open the door for me again." His Advisor looked a bit taken aback, and the Boss smirked, letting him know that everything was okay. "Just don't do it again."

His advisor rolled his eyes and pulled out a cigarette.

"Sure. You got it."

Hiei nodded curtly, and turned once before going into the Library.

"Yusuke." The Advisor looked up. "Those will kill you, you know."

Yusuke stuck out his tongue, making the Boss shake his head as he walked inside.

III

The Library smelled good. The librarians had various scented candles, but it was the smell of old books that made the Boss feel at home. He walked and saw two women at the front desk. They both had blue hair, and they were both beautiful. Only one was his concern.

_Yukina_.

She was a woman now. She was the head librarian. He smiled a bit when he saw her looking through files, her brow furrowed with concentration. The Boss finally reached the desk and the other woman looked up, her pink eyes widening with curiosity, and then she snapped to attention like a solider.

"Good morning, sir!" She smiled cheerily, and the Boss found it annoying. "What may we help you with?"

Yukina looked up at her co-worker and then to the man in front of her. She blinked and then smiled faintly.

"Hiei, it's good to see you again." She smiled and bowed her head slightly. "Do you need me to show you around?"

Hiei shook his head, his long raven bangs tickling his forehead.

"No." He paused, as if remembering something, and then frowned, his crimson eyes narrowing. "Here." He pulled a brilliant bouquet of flowers seemingly out of nowhere. Yukina's eyes widened and the girl beside her clasped her hands together, sighing dreamily. "These are from Kuwabara."

Yukina blinked.

"Kazuma?" Hiei nodded, not wanting to meet her in the eye. "Is he okay? He hasn't been around in a while."

Hiei blinked.

"He's just sick." He paused before leaving. "I still stand by what I say."

Yukina frowned.

"And I still stand by my words."

Hiei clenched his fists.

"He's not good enough for you."

Yukina became ice cold.

"I love him, and he loves me! In my eyes that makes him worth everything to me!"

The tension made the other woman a bit nervous, and she began to play with a blue curl. That was when Hiei nodded and then walked off. Yukina bit her lip, but smiled.

The Boss went into the non fiction section and picked some books out. The Revolutionary War, Napoleon Bonaparte, and the Renaissance. He sat down at a wooden table and began to read. The sunlight poured through a window, capturing him in a perfect picture. The dust floated through the beam, and it cast just the right shadows on him. He looked so gentle, intelligent, but dark. His eyes focused on the words, but even that could not stop a spectator from shivering.

All was quiet. All was good. That was until Hiei heard a chair scrape against the floor across from him. He looked up to see a scarred face. A single brown eye stared at him, the other behind a black patch. Brown hair fell just above their shoulders. The Boss glared at her.

"Mukuro."

"Hiei."

He leaned back in his chair.

"What do you want?"

IV

Kurama and Jin walked throughout New York City. They spoke of the guidelines of being in the Jaganshi Family. That was when Kurama got a call on his cell phone.

"Kurama!"

The red haired man heard the voice of Yusuke.

"Yusuke, what is it?"

Jin heard the alertness in the Consigliere's voice and he stiffened.

"Mukuro just walked into the Library. Something might go down!"

Kurama's eyes became intense.

"Got it." He shut the phone and looked over at the new member. Solider Jin. He smiled at the Irish man. "What do you know, you've got your first assignment."

Jin's eyes widened and he grinned broadly.

"What is it?"

V

Yukina saw big men come into the Library. She became a bit nervous. She didn't like the way they looked. Their faces were blunt and you could tell that their noses had been broken quiet a number of times.

"Hey there." Yukina grimaced at his greasy voice. "Where's the non fiction section?"

Yukina felt her heart beat faster. _The non fiction section... Hiei's there! _Something was off about them. She smiled charmingly.

"Of course, but I'm a little busy. I'll get my assistant for you, okay?"

The leader of the men grumbled, but he nodded. Yukina disappeared in the back, the storage room. She saw the young woman reading a fiction novel by Stephen King. Firestarter was the title. Yukina knelt down beside her assistant. Her close friend.

"Botan?" The girl looked up. "I need you to do me a favor."

The girl sensed something was wrong. Her friend's voice shook.

"Sure. What is it?"

Yukina whispered.

"I need you to take some men up front to the thriller section. They want the non fiction section, but stall them as long as you can." She took a deep breath and tried to stop herself from crying. "Do you understand me?"

Botan nodded, her blue pony tail bobbing up and down. She bit her lip and stood.

"Do what you have to do, Yukina. I can distract them."

VI

"Are things going well with your Family?"

Hiei held his head up high.

"Fine."

The woman laughed. Her voice was cold and flat. He **hated **her.

"And now you think you are more powerful than me." She looked at him with a piercing and yet mocking gaze. "For such a little man, you sure are confident of yourself." She took a long breath. "Shorty." Hiei stood abruptly and his chair clattered to the floor. Mukuro smiled dryly. "You didn't honestly think that you could take down the Makai Family, did you?"

Hiei saw her pull out a pistol. It was silver and the sunlight sent a gleam off of it. His eyes widened, and she aimed at his chest. That was when they heard a scream, both of them looking away.

"Bitch! You bitch!"

Hiei saw a figure sprawl out onto the floor, her blue hair falling over her face. His heart stopped for a long moment. _Yukina... NO! _To his great relief, it was not her. It was the annoying assistant. She looked up, a nasty bruise on her cheek. She stood up, glaring at someone that Hiei could not see.

That was when another voice brought Mukuro and Hiei's attention elsewhere.

"Hiei, quick you need to–"

Hiei felt his shoulders slump when he heard Yukina's voice behind him. He didn't dare turn around, his eyes still glued to Mukuro. She looked over at Yukina and frowned.

"Girlfriend?"

Hiei shook his head.

"Never. I don't do relationships." His eyes burned through hers. "No woman could please me." His eyes narrowed. "Ever."

Mukuro took in a quick breath and her eyes became wild with fury, scarlet staining her cheeks. In one smooth motion, her arm moved down and the pistol fired. Yukina screamed. Hiei collapsed to the ground. Mukuro seethed. Botan ran.

Blood poured out of Hiei's leg. He winced but did not make a sound. That was when he heard a crack of a whip. His entire body slackened. _About time, Kurama. _

Mukuro's hand began to bleed, her gun dropping to the ground. Yukina looked behind her to see a beautiful man stalk forward, a long thin whip in his hand. His red hair flowed down his shoulders and his green eyes shimmered in the sunlight. Mukuro went to pick up the gun, but she stopped when she heard the crack of the whip.

"Don't." She looked up at the Second in Command. "Next time your hand will not survive." She glared at the man, but she backed away. "Now leave."

She turned to find her henchmen, but only saw the blue haired woman. She was crawling, blood spilling out of her mouth. Her pink eyes were glazed over and then she fainted. Mukuro saw a red haired Irishmen run to her, gun in hand. She knew her Soldiers were dead.

She left out the door, hiding her hand in the sleeve of her jacket.

VII

"Are you okay, Hiei?"

Kurama helped the Boss to his feet. He hissed as he tried to use his weak leg.

"I'm fine. Get me out of here."

A sound stopped them both. It was the sound of a woman breathing fast. Out of control. The two men turned to see Yukina. Her face was pale and she was clutching her stomach. She probably felt sick.

"You... you..."

Hiei didn't let his face betray his breaking heart.

"Yukina..."

He reached out to her, but she flinched away from him.

"Don't!"

A silence fell over them. Kurama knew about this particular situation. That was when an Irish voice rang out.

"Kurama!" The Second in Command looked up. "Kurama come here!"

The Consigliere looked at Yukina.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" She looked up. "I have to go, just for a second. Could you take him?"

She didn't have time to answer when Hiei was in her arms, Kurama jogging down the aisles.

VIII

"What is it, Jin?"

The Solider looked up at him with green eyes.

"I think she's dyin!"

Kurama looked down at the woman who was face down in a puddle of her own blood. He knelt down beside her and felt her ribs. All good. Her back. All good. He moved her onto her back and then sat her up.

Blood dried around her mouth, and when Kurama felt her face he found that it was hot. He frowned.

"Get Yusuke!"

Jin nodded and sprinted off. Kurama felt her arms, her stomach, her legs. Her left arm was broken. Badly. Some bones were sticking out. He picked her up and moved so he was walking back towards Hiei and Yukina.

He laid the girl on the table, and when Yukina saw her, she screamed.

"BOTAN!" The librarian left Hiei and ran to her best friend. She sobbed as she looked at the pale face of the woman. Her skin was clammy and blood stained her white shirt and brown skirt. Yukina held Botan's hand and pressed her lips to it. "Botan... oh God..."

Kurama helped Hiei into a chair.

"She's hurt badly. She needs immediate attention."

Hiei crossed his arms, still acting like he didn't have a hole going through his leg.

"So?"

They both saw Yukina stiffen with anger. She turned, her once kind face now covered in tears. She walked up to Hiei, shaking. She looked sad, enraged, and terrified. The librarian slapped the Boss. Hard. She didn't raise her soft voice.

"How dare you...!" She looked into the eyes of Hiei. "She was innocent and she got dragged into all of this! The least she deserves is some help!"

Hiei felt his heart clench. It was his fault, and now Yukina was mad at him. _She has no idea what she means to me... how she hurts me... _

"If I may say something, I can help her." They both looked at Kurama, who brushed some hair off of his shoulders. "You know that yourself, I'm the best doctor around."

Hiei scowled.

"We can't bring **_her _**with us!"

Yukina grabbed his collar, hating how she was acting, but she couldn't help it.

"Yes you can!"

Hiei glared at Yukina. Yukina glared at Hiei. They must have stood there for an entire minute.

"Fine." He threw up his arms. "FINE!"

That was when they heard a blunt voice behind them.

"Shit... Hiei... you need to clean this up."

Yusuke looked at the scene with wide brown eyes. Hiei was helped up with Kurama, and Jin was directed to carry Botan. The raven haired man patted Yusuke on the shoulder when he passed him.

"No, you do."

Yusuke raked his fingers through his hair.

"Hiei, come ON!"

The Boss kept walking.

"Do it! Now!"

Yusuke growled.

"Send me some Soldiers!"

Hiei, Kurama, Jin, and Botan were gone. Yusuke was left with a nauseous and distressed Librarian. He turned to her.

"Listen to me if you want all this to go away." She looked at him, her eyes distant. "Make the Library closed. After that, go to the bathroom. Wash your face. Vomit, you probably have to, and then drink some water."

Yukina trembled.

"O-okay."

Yusuke nodded curtly and patted her shoulder.

"Good girl."

IX

The girl moaned in the car. Jin held her head in his lap.

"Hurry up, Kurama!"

Hiei looked back at his new Solider.

"Quiet, Jin!"

The car was silent after that, other than some sounds from the girl called Botan. Kurama was on the phone, sending a Capo and his crew down the Library.

They drove and drove. Kurama directed Jin to help stop the bleeding and possibly prevent her from going into shock. They had to get out of the city. They had to get to a safe house. They came to a small ranch house. It was ugly, but it worked for what they needed.

Hiei was helped into the door and they rang the doorbell. A voice was heard from inside.

"Coming!" Kurama rang the doorbell again. "I said I'm coming, mate!" A tall man threw open the door, but when he saw Kurama his face fell. "Oh come on, what do you want?"

Hiei looked up into the face of Chuu, an Associate.

"We need your house." Chuu didn't move out of the doorway. "Now."

X

A/N: Please, please review! Come on, it was good, wasn't it? I worked hard on it! I even had to do research! Research! Ha! Okay, review, and I might take my time with this story. Might, key word. I usually just get impatient! Review!

P.s. Chuu is that big drunk Australian guy from the Dark Tournament


	2. The Boss and the Assistant

Three Families : The Boss and the Assistant

A/N: Woot! Thanks for the reviews... and um... thanks! I had hoped that more people would read it... so... tell your friends! Hah! Just kidding:sighs: This is the next chapter! Hope you like it! Read and Review!

I

Chuu frowned and tugged at his hair as Hiei was dragged into the house, the assistant being carried in by Jin. The Irishman looked down at the blue haired beauty and bit his lower lip as he turned to the Second in Command.

"Kurama, she's goin' cold!"

The Second in Command hissed and then hobbled off to the basement.

"Follow me!" He turned back, Jin still looking at the assistant. "HURRY!" Jin ran and saw Kurama go down some old stairs. Gulping a bit, he went down. He was astonished to see that the room was not damp and dark, but white and very clean. He looked to see jars of white... where those WORMS? "Put her on the table!"

Jin flinched and spotted a silver table. He placed the woman on it as gently as he could, but he still felt like he could never do it right. He looked at Kurama, who was fixing a mask over her mouth. Jin realized what the Second in Command was doing. He was putting her under.

"Jin, give me that scalpel."

The Irishman fumbled as he handed the small, sharp tool to Kurama, who took it smoothly. With the grace that only a doctor could pull off, he cut off her shirt. Then he moved to her skirt. That was when Jin heard the voice of the Boss.

"Kurama! What are you doing?"

The Second in Command glared at his superior.

"I don't want her to get an infection, and I need working room and space." He shook his head as his Boss crossed his arms and sat on a chair, his lip curled back into what could have been a growl, but he stopped himself. "If you don't like it, don't look."

Jin, still a young man, barely nineteen, turned a bit red and turned away. Hiei was avoiding looking at her exposed body. Kurama swooped to the shelves and ran his fingers over some jars, and he turned to the Boss, a few fingers on his lips.

"Hiei?" The Boss looked up. "What treatment would you like her to receive?"

Hiei Jaganshi glared at the Second in Command.

"Kurama, I selected you for a reason." The Boss sighed, and for a split second, he looked distant and almost... sad. "This woman is Yukina's friend." Kurama waited, his green eyes not betraying his urge to smile proudly. "And a friend of Yukina's is given the best treatment."

Jin glanced at the Second in Command, and he tried to interpret the look in Kurama's eyes. It was strong and fierce, a loyalty that only friendship could form. But what did it mean?

"You got it."

Kurama lifted himself up on the tips of his toes and reached for a jar of white... things. He started to unscrew the cap when the door opened.

"Look guys, you've got to give me some heads up on this whole 'safe house' thing..." Chuu walked in, his hair messy with a hint of grease and his breath reeking of alcohol. He wasn't focused on anything but complaining. Until his eyes fell on the assistant. "Oh-ho! What do we have here?" He walked up to the silver table, his eyes eating up the library assistant. "I didn't know that you guys were into unconscious girls."

Hiei snarled at the Associate, his face darkening with rage and the disgust at Chuu's incompetence.

"Baka!" Chuu looked down at the short man. "You will leave! This is none of your business."

The big and lumbering man scratched his nose.

"Chill out, man." He tugged at his hair. "Just joking." There was a brief silence. "Can I help with anything?"

The man looked at Kurama, who was engrossed in his work. That was when Chuu saw what the younger man was doing. A slow and slimy chill worked its way up his spine as he saw tiny little worms being spread out on the woman's arm. Maggots.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

Jin whirled around to see what the commotion was about, and all the oxygen left him. He saw the insects writhing on the beauty on the table. He thought he was going to be sick for a moment. Kurama wasn't fazed at the outburst, but he continued to mix pastes together as the maggots squirmed on the assistant's fair skin.

"Maggots are the best, and most natural way to remove dead skin." He stopped mixing his concoctions and watched the worms do their work. "This woman, Botan, has an open fracture, and the bone is protruding the skin." He took a small breath. "I don't want her to get an infection."

Jin turned again, not wanting to see Botan covered in bugs or barely clothed. Chuu shuddered and stumbled up the stairs.

"Forget this!"

Jin frowned as the door slammed and silence overtook the room once more. The sound of the insects squishing together was horrible, and it almost made Jin leave the room, but finally Kurama took the bugs off of the woman. He took the paste that he made and put it near Botan, but did not apply it to her.

Biting his lower lip, he spread the paste on her skin.

"Kurama?" The Second in Command turned to see Hiei staring at him. "Do you think she'll live?"

Kurama looked at his Boss. Not a speck of care was on that stone mask of his. The Second in Command looked at her face. It was sweating a little, but she would be okay. If her body reacted with his own special medicine like predicted and tested, then she would be fine.

"She will." He smiled at the woman endearingly, as if she were a friend of his. "She's got the will and strength to do so." Hiei nodded and went back to his icy silence. Kurama turned to Jin. "Jin!"

The Irishmen snapped to attention.

"Yes, sir?"

Kurama smirked a bit and motioned for him to come to him, to come to the silver table.

"I need your help." Jin came and saw that Kurama was tying the girl's arm tightly with white bandages and when he was finished, he tied the knot and then began to mold a hard cast over it, like plaster. "Find some women's clothing from upstairs. If you can't find any, then get some jeans and a sweatshirt."

Jin nodded and dashed upstairs. He ignored Chuu's protests as he opened drawers and dressers. He couldn't find any women clothes. He rolled his eyes. Not that he was surprised. He found some jeans and a college sweatshirt. The jeans would be baggy on her, but hey, at least she had some clothes!

Gathering up the garments in his arms, Jin went back downstairs to see Kurama finishing up the final cast.

"Good, you found some." He smiled and cleared his throat as he wiped some sweat off of his forehead. "I'll put on her shirt, and you take care of her pants, okay?" Jin hesitated as Kurama took the shirt. "You _have _seen how to put pants on someone, haven't you?"

"Of course I have!"

Kurama chuckled.

"Than do it."

Gulping, Jin put the jeans on the assistant. He felt dirty as the back of his hands skimmed over the assistant's creamy skin. Finally, the girl was dressed. Kurama sighed and removed the mask. He pinched the bridge of his nose and licked his dry lips.

"When will she wake up?"

Hiei sat up in his chair to get a good look at her. His red eyes narrowed when he saw the junky clothes she had on. His Second in Command stretched his aching arms and legs from the long and hard work that he did.

"She'll be out for probably five hours. The gas combined with my personal treatment is a pretty good sleeping agent."

Hiei sighed angrily with impatience.

"Okay great! You fixed her, now fix me!"

Kurama smiled as his Boss ripped his pant leg, exposing his ugly wound. The Second in Command took the scalpel off of the table and knelt down beside him. He looked up into the Boss's red eyes.

"Do you want a pain killer?"

Hiei's were steely.

"I don't do drugs."

Kurama rolled his eyes and made an X on the wound, and all he heard was a soft inhale from Hiei. Using some tweezers, Kurama eased the bullet out of the Boss's leg. Jin couldn't look away as the sticky blood poured out of the wound. The entire time, Hiei never said a word. His was clamped shut and his arms were gripping the sides of the wooden chair.

Kurama took out a needle and stitched him up, and then directed Jin to a paste, and before he got a chance to put it on Hiei, the Boss stopped him.

"What does this one do?"

Kurama raised an eyebrow and pouted.

"Have I ever steered you wrong?"

Hiei crossed his arms and looked away.

"No." He looked at the blue haired girl on the table. "Go ahead."

Kurama spread the paste on the Boss's leg and then sealed up the jar.

"It will only sting for an hour or so, but infection is out of the picture. It also stimulates the skin and muscle cells into regenerating faster." The Second in Command had a nostalgic gleam in his emerald eyes. "You'll be fine in about a week, thanks to my special recipe."

Hiei almost said something, even Jin could see the words were on the edges of his lips, but he remained silent. The two men were silent, and the two of them obviously shared a secret. Hiei ran his fingers through his hair as Kurama got him a single crutch so Hiei could walk around and not delay his healing process.

"Take the girl to a room." Hiei hobbled on his crutch and Jin scooped her up in his arms, making sure to rest her head on his broad chest. "Make sure that it's clean." They started up the stairs, but they soon heard the uneven thumps of Hiei's leg and crutch. "Forget it, I'm coming with you."

II

Hiei kicked Chuu out of his bedroom and ordered Kurama to hold Botan while Jin changed the sheets, and then proceeded to "tuck" the blue haired girl into the bed. It was in the afternoon, and Kurama and Hiei sat at the kitchen table, drinking some tea while Chuu was out shopping and Jin was talking to Yusuke on his cell phone.

"How long will it take for her arm to heal?"

Kurama frowned and took a sip of his herbal tea.

"The wound wasn't easy like yours." A small sip. "It'll be two and a half weeks before she is able to remove the cast, and three weeks she'll be able to use the arm regularly." Another small pause. "That's if she's gentle with it for the entire time."

There was a long silence. The two men drank together and Hiei closed his eyes.

"Hn." Hiei hoped that the woman would heal in that time period. He wanted as little to do with her as possible. "You should go and wait until she wakes up."

"Of course, Hiei."

Hiei nodded as he watched Kurama stand with his tea and walk off. The Boss rested his forehead on the table. What he didn't want was the girl to wake up screaming and flailing about. _Not that a man who is totally unfamiliar to her will stop her from being frightened. _But even Hiei knew that Kurama held a charisma about him that calmed the soul. It had calmed Hiei's... so why not the woman's?

Hopefully, if nothing happened, she would be able to go home a few days after she woke up. And the days part was pushing it. The Boss sighed and shivered. He felt like he was being watched, which he probably was. Mukuro wasn't the kind of woman who took her losses easily. _Crazy bitch..._

Hiei looked to see that a window's shades were open. He grabbed his crutch and made his way over to the blinds and shut them.

_Where the hell is Yusuke?_

III

Yusuke was still in the Library. He walked down the aisles. Clean. Everything was clean. Nice, very nice. He smiled and clapped his hands together. Another job well done.

Turning, Yusuke walked to the main desk, which was still empty. He jumped over it and walked into the back room, where he found the aqua haired woman, Yukina. She sniffed and looked at him. She was pale and shivering as she drank from a bottle of water.

The Advisor could tell that she had indeed thrown up and that she was too weak to do it again. But, if the Library remained closed, it would gather attention. The young man knelt down next to her and smiled impishly.

"Hey now, it's all better." The woman looked at him like was crazy. "Okay, well, it's all clean." Yusuke sighed and pulled out some makeup from his pocket. "Hold still."

Yukina didn't move as Yusuke applied a green tint to her face and eye liner and shadow. He made her cheeks rosy with some blush, and then he pinched them, just for luck. When he was done, a small smile crept up onto the girl's face. She sniffed and giggled softly.

"Do you always carry makeup in your pocket?"

Yusuke, relieved to see that she was getting some of her old spark back, slicked his hair back and played it cool.

"All the cool guys do."

Yukina actually laughed little, but soon, her face was back to its serious and dark undertone. A slight frown was making its way onto her face.

"Why did you put it on me? What will it do?"

Yusuke crossed his arms and bit his lip.

"The green eye liner and shadow will take away the redness and the fact that you look like you have been crying. The green powder on your face is taking away it's redness also."

Yukina's eyes were a bit wide.

"Oh." She coughed. "Thanks."

Yusuke stood and offered his hand, which she took and was pulled up and off the ground. The Advisor jumped back over the desk and pulled out a small comb and began to brush his hair. He looked back at the woman, who was toying nervously with her hair.

"Listen, just relax. Don't think about this day too hard." He scratched the back of his head. "And don't worry about Kuwabara." He saw the Librarian's face turn a bit red, and it wasn't from the nausea or shock. "He'll be back." Yusuke pointed at himself with his thumb at his chest. "I'll take care of it."

Yukina didn't even say goodbye as Yusuke left and switched the Closed sign to Open. All she heard was the faint electronic ring of a cell phone and his voice answering it. She sat down and waited. She waited for people to come in to read. She waited for Hiei to come back. She waited for Botan to come back. Yukina blinked and fought back her tears with success.

Most of all, she waited for Kuwabara.

IV

The blankets and sheets were very warm. Botan felt her chest rise and fall with each breath. She felt her own body heat keeping her warm. She felt the baggy denim and cotton clinging to her body. Cold sweat was on her forehead. And it all came back to her very slowly. Like the aftertaste of a good drink or odd tasting food.

Botan shrieked and jolted awake, raising up stiffly and grabbing at her arm. Her pink eyes were wide and they flickered about wildly. She was in some room. It smelled like... like... well it smelled old and dirty. There were some clothes on the floor, and some magazines were strewn about.

That was when her lovely eyes fell on a man who had flinched a bit, a tea cup in his hand that was a few inches away from his lips. His red hair was long and Botan was certain that she had never seen him before. She got up hastily out of the bed and stumbled and ended up slamming into the wall, her bad arm taking most of the pain.

"Hey! Hey! Watch it!" Botan mewed in agony and her breathing became faster and faster as he walked closer to her. His slender hand touched her shoulder, and she flinched away, but he held fast. "Calm down!"

Botan thrashed out and scratched his hand, four thin lines of red forming on them. Still, he held her still, and her eyes held such a fear in them that Kurama almost let her go. Almost.

"W-who are you?"

She pressed herself as far into the wall as she could as Kurama's green eyes stared into hers.

"I am the man who saved your life." She stopped breathing for a second. "Now, please, just allow me to explain things." He smiled reassuringly at her, and Botan had to admit that it was comforting. "Just... just get back into bed, and I'll tell you all you need to know."

Botan stood shakily and sat back down on the mattress. Her blue hair was still up and she let it down, her arms still shaking.

"Okay." She sniffed and saw that she was wearing different clothes. "Tell me." She tried to smile. "Please."

Kurama smiled. _Good girl. _

"Your arm was broken and you had some cuts on your legs." He noticed that her eyes were traveling to her clothes and then to him. "I did remove your clothes, but before you take this the wrong way, I am a doctor."

Kurama saw her run her fingers through her hair, and her eyes were on the door.

"A doctor?" Kurama nodded. "What's your name?"

Kurama frowned. Her voice was very... it was very odd. He had never heard it before, but he had the feeling that this tone was not her normal tone. Her face held that look that said that she was always smiling. But she was not smiling now.

"You can call me Kurama."

Her pink eyes narrowed.

"Kurama?" She looked back at the door. "Sounds familiar."

The Second in Command raised a single eyebrow.

"I doubt it."

She didn't say anything and she looked like she was in deep thought. That was when she gasped.

"Yukina! What about Yukina?" Botan moved away from him and tried to stand, but Kurama seized her arm and pulled her back down. "Is she okay?" Botan looked at her hands. "Oh God... Oh God..."

Kurama saw the loyalty and love shine in her eyes at the thought of Yukina. _It seems that Yukina possesses quite a hold on people, especially friends. _

"Yukina is fine. She is safe and is probably back at the library."

Botan visibly relaxed, and her eyes faded back to their cold and almost sad state.

"And Hiei?" Kurama stiffened. "Is he safe?"

Kurama felt his defenses rise up. _Hiei, how did she know that he was in danger to begin with?_

"He is fine. Everyone is fine."

The room was silent for a long moment, and all you could hear was the ticking clock of the clock on the far wall. Kurama took this time to get a better look at the assistant. Her stance was very polite, her back straight and her hands folded in her lap. Then she shuddered, and her pink eyes locked on his face.

"Shuiichi!" Kurama felt his blood run cold. "You're Kurama Shuiichi!"

Kurama felt the situation spinning rapidly out of control.

"I-I'm afraid you're mistaken."

"You! You are that doctor!" She stood and Kurama couldn't find the will to stop her this time. "Get away!"

Kurama had his head in his hands as Botan ran out the door, and his breath was shaking as tears welled up in his eyes. He felt the past sneaking back up on him, a constant stab in his heart.

V

Hiei was back in his chair, and that was when he heard a name screamed that he thought he would never hear again. A name that had only crossed his lips once.

"You're Kurama Shuiichi!"

Hiei felt as if the air had just lowered about forty degrees. _His name! HOW DID SHE KNOW HIS NAME?_ Hiei heard a door slam open and he grabbed his crutch and pushed himself upright. He was just in time to see her speeding down the hallway, her blue hair flowing behind her.

Her slender and smooth hands were inches from the door, but Hiei wasn't about to let her open it.

"DON'T!" Hiei literally propelled himself across the room, and he grabbed at the young woman. She screamed, and her hand was on the golden knob. She twisted it, but Hiei yanked her down to the ground, where he was. "If you take one step out that door, there is nothing, NOTHING, I can do to protect you!"

The woman shook and yet couldn't shake him off of her.

"W-what?"

Hiei tightened his grip on her good arm, and she winced, hissing as his nails dug into her flawless skin.

"You are here because Yukina begged me to take you in!" His red eyes were flaming with rage. "I did not want you! We did not want you! You are nothing to us but a BURDEN!" Her hand was still on the doorknob, and the door was open a few inches. "But I still took you." He pulled himself closer to her so that they were eye to eye. "_You go out that door, and I can't stop anyone from killing you. You go out that door, and you are helpless to my assistance._" Her pink eyes widened and Hiei knew that she understood. _"Do you understand me? Nod if you understand."_

After what seemed like ages, she nodded and Hiei slid to the ground after hearing the door click shut. Tears slid down her eyes and she tried to curl up, her knees trying to touch her stomach, but Hiei weighed them down. He grabbed her shoulders and lifted himself up enough to point to his crutch which laid on the floor.

"Could I please have that?"

Botan sniffed and gently slid the Boss off of her long legs. She limped over to the crutch, picked it up. She looked back at him, his red eyes cold and expectant. She held it out to him, and he took it, pushing himself up using the wall and his crutch.

"Do you need help?"

Her voice was so soft. It reminded Hiei of something. He wasn't sure what.

"No."

Botan sank to the floor and cried. Her face was hidden by her long blue bangs and her shoulders heaved with each inhale. Kurama walked in, and Hiei saw that his face was still pale. He saw the woman on the floor, and he sipped his tea.

Botan would remember that day for the rest of her life. She would remember how she met the infamous Doctor Kurama Shuiichi. She would remember that Hiei Jaganshi had been temporarily crippled.

And most of all, she would remember how normal her life had been before then. How little things used to take up her worries. Like if she had left the oven on. Or if she had enough money for that new book that came out last week.

Since that day, those little things meant nothing anymore. Not one damn thing.

VI

A/N: Hey there! Please... PLEASE review! I really, really worked hard on it. And I think it's coming along very well. Plus... J. J. Banks reviewed for the first chapter! (Gasps) so awesome! So, yeah, if you want to know what's going to happen next, review. Or else. Hahhaha.

-mia


	3. Black and White

Three Families : Black and White

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad that you like the story. Please, keep on reading and reviewing! Um, I really don't know how long this story is going to be... oh well! R&R!

I

Two days. That's all. Two days. That's what Hiei told himself, but he had the sinking feeling that the assistant was going to stay longer than a mere forty-eight hours. _No... she's LEAVING. There is no way that she is staying with us one minute longer than two days!_

The Boss gazed over at the younger woman. She was better. She was smiling again, and it was annoying Hiei. She made friends with Jin, Chuu, and even Kurama, though she was a bit hesitant at talking and being close to him. Hiei frowned at the memory.

_Late last night..._

_The woman was still a bit shaken. Kurama made some tea, his own special blend. Jin was taken in by her will to overcome her unease. She smiled, and even told some of the stories that she had heard of the Jaganshi family. _

_It was when Kurama came back with a cup of tea for her that she fell silent and looked down, away from the doctor that saved her life. Jin gave Kurama a worried look. **She won't talk. She won't be happy. Not around you, unless you fix it now. **_

_Kurama understood, and Jin left the room, and Kurama took his chair. Botan didn't move, not being impolite, yet she wouldn't look into his face._

"_Botan?" Her pink eyes flickered to his for about one fourth of a second. Then it was back to the table again. "I want to tell you something." Nothing. "Is that okay?"_

_His voice was so sincere delicate. He didn't want her to be scared of him. Well, not terrified. _

"_S-sure."_

_Kurama smiled faintly and touched her hand, making her look at him. _

"_I was Kurama Shuiichi." _

_Tears fell down her face, but she refused to make any noise that even hinted that she was upset. _

"_Was?"_

_The Second in Command sighed and gazed into her eyes._

"_I was Dr. Shuiichi." She nodded. "I understand that... what you have heard about me was... not at all positive." Another nod. Weaker this time. Kurama shifted so his fists were supporting his chin. "What did the press say about me?"_

_Botan frowned and rubbed her temples, sniffing, not hiding her tears from Dr. Shuiichi._

"_It w-was all over the news and newspapers. There was even an article in Newsweek about you." She wrung her hands, and she was getting more and more nervous by the minute. Kurama could tell because of her breathing. "They s-said that y-you were a madman. A killer who used his knowledge to experiment with his own medicinal treatments that were unsafe on human patient, disguising himself as a doctor." She looked into Kurama's eyes. "You killed three men."_

_Kurama felt his heart become tender at the memories. _

"_You're half right." He had her attention again. "I killed three men. That I will agree to." Kurama sipped his tea, and pushed Botan's cup towards her. She took it, but did not drink. "The rest, I have to say, is a bunch of lies." Sip. "I saved, hundreds, maybe thousands of people, Botan. The crippled walked because of me. Skin did not have to be grafted because I grew it. I cured them."_

"_And then they tried to take it away from me." Kurama smiled a bit dreamily. "I remember his name. A man, Richard, was in for open heart surgery. Once I saw the organ I knew that the walls were too thin. He would need a new heart, but it was too old, so he would never get one." Kurama sighed. "I couldn't be alone with him. So I risked it. I applied a special paste right to the walls of the heart."_

"_And a nurse, some nurse told the big guys." His voice became hard and cold. "They told me that I was a disgrace to the medical profession. Me! I saved Richard! He is still alive. He would have been dead because of me." Kurama's eyes faded. "It was the only thing I could do, Botan. They wanted to kill me for saving people. So I killed them before they killed me."_

_Botan wiped her eyes, and she finally drank her tea._

"_W-why? You didn't have to kill them. Y-you could have... could have..."_

_Kurama shook his head._

"_No. They didn't want to make it a big deal that would make the news at first. It would bring too much attention to the hospital." Botan frowned, and Kurama saw that she didn't believe him. "You know, hospital did worse after I left." She looked up. "Physical therapy wasn't as fast working and successful as it once was. Less people ever came out of their comas." Kurama sipped his tea, and finished his cup. "Do you think Richard ever thought of me as a killer, or a person who saved lives?"_

_Botan sobbed. Finally, she let it all out._

"_B-but you're Dr. Kurama Shuiichi. T-they said you w-were s-savage and c-c-cruel."_

"_It must be shocking. To meet a 'madman' who only wanted to save a few lives."_

_Botan put her hands over her face and let out a low wail. She buried her head in her hands and Kurama watched, his eyes solid stone as he saw her back tremor. She spoke, and her voice was hoarse and broken. _

"_I-I am... s-so s-sorry."_

_Kurama stood and walked over to her slowly. He took her into his arms, hugging her._

"_It's okay." She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. "I understand, it's hard to accept the truth when you've heard different for so many years." She continued to sob into his white shirt. "I too have had to face the feeling of loss of... everything."_

_Twenty minutes later_

"_Is she better now?"_

_Hiei was in the basement, where Chuu set up cots for him and Kurama while Jin and Chuu slept in the living room. Hiei and Kurama insisted that Botan get the lone bed. Kurama took off his shirt._

"_She understands what happened." _

_Hiei looked at the wet shirt._

"_She cried, didn't she?"_

_Kurama was down to his mere boxers, and Hiei was already in his cot, the yellow sheets up to his waist as he sat up, waiting for his Second in Command to answer._

"_She did." Kurama looked over at Hiei. "She's a really bright woman, you know. She's got a great head on her shoulders."_

_Hiei rolled his eyes and let his head hit his pillow. _

"_Don't care."_

_Kurama shook his head as he crawled under the covers of his cot._

"_Goodnight, Hiei."_

"_Goodnight, Kurama."_

Hiei woke the next morning to find that Kurama was already awake and that he was alone. Hiei fumbled getting dressed, and he growled as his black tank top was wrinkled and his pants were ripped. He reached for his crutch and made his way up the stairs.

"So let me get this straight, you stole presents for your little sister, and almost got caught but whipped cream saved you?" A high pitched giggle sliced through the air and stabbed Hiei's sensitive ears. "Tell me more!"

Hiei hobbled down the hallway and he heard the sizzle of butter in a pan. A loud chuckle floated through the morning.

"Come on, Jin! Don't keep our lovely lady waitin'!"

The Irishman scratched his head and cracked an egg over the pan.

"Alright, lass." He swirled around the pan, sprinkling in some cheese and chopped potatoes. "It was Christmas Eve and my little sister and I were all alone, our parents having died years ago." He didn't allow Botan to apologize for his loss. "Anyway, she really, really wanted this one doll, American Girl, and I couldn't afford it."

Botan was breathless, loving every part of the story.

"So what did you do?"

Jin finished the one omelette and worked on the second one.

"My sister still believes in Santa Claus, so I knew it would break her heart if she didn't get the doll, so on Christmas Eve I snuck out and went to this one store that sold the dolls exclusively. Everything was perfect, no alarms, nothing, until I saw these two police cars outside. I knew I couldn't get out of there without being spotted."

A bellowing laughter.

"Come on, man! Keep tellin' the story!"

Hiei walked into see Kurama sitting at the table, smiling as if he was very, very relaxed. Jin was wearing an apron over his attire, and Chuu was still in his sleep-wear. Botan was the only one who decided to get dressed and ready for the day, even Kurama slacked in his clothing.

"Well, there was a manikin dressed up as Santa Claus. I quickly dressed in it, but I needed a beard, which... I didn't have." Second omelette, done. Third, in the process of completion. "And, on the ground, was a can of whipped cream." Botan nodded, smiling as she squeezed oranges for fresh juice. "I took and sprayed it on my face, and then went out one of the back windows with the doll. I walked right past them, and gave them a little salute."

Botan gushed and wiped her eyes.

"Did she like the doll?"

Jin winked.

"Loved it."

Botan laughed and sighed dreamily.

"Wow. I wish I had siblings like you." She paused. "Only child."

Hiei was leaning against the wall. _Interesting story. _Kurama was smiling at him, and Hiei smirked as he crossed his arms as he cleared his throat. Jin turned around, spatula in hand, looking ridiculous in the white and frilly apron.

"I have to say, Jin, you look... domesticated."

Chuu chuckled as Jin flushed red and Kurama laughed. Botan smiled but sensed the tension of the Boss's presence. Kurama stretched and gave Hiei an amused look.

"We're having some of Jin's famous Irish omelettes. Fresh orange juice, and toast." The doctor laughed. "Are you interested, sir?"

Hiei smirked a bit.

"Sure. Why not?"

Jin brought out plates, and they were chipped and some were dirty, but it was okay. Botan smiled, but was quieter once Hiei was there. The Boss smirked. _She's scared. _She sipped her orange juice. _Good._

They ate, and Botan finally spoke to Hiei.

"Um, Mr. Jaganshi?" Hiei looked up, not being used to being addressed by that name. Ever. "When do I have to leave?" She looked around and then at her toast. "I mean... you're not going to kill me, are you?"

Hiei didn't chuckle. He didn't frown. He just **_was_**.

"No." He drank some orange juice. "Yukina asked me to help you." He blinked as though he were bored. "Killing you doesn't seem all that helpful, to any of us."

She smiled at him, and the Boss looked away and ate his egg. His answer wasn't upbeat. It was just cold, hard, fact. Jin, who still had the apron on, had his elbow on the table and looked over at the assistant.

Small talk between all the men took up breakfast. Botan looked and listened on, chewing on silently as her pink eyes analyzed and gazed into these characters set before her. Hiei watched her out of the corner of his eyes. _Why is she so... bright?_

II

Botan woke up. She had a bit of a headache from crying so hard the night before. _Kurama Shuiichi... _The assistant turned over and groaned as she closed her eyes.

"_You know the Jaganshi Family?"_

"_Yes. The mob. What about them?"_

"_You are in the custody of Hiei Jaganshi. Do not disrespect him and don't call him by his first name."_

That was her goodnight. She slept uneventfully and the stress of meeting the man responsible... for... many crimes came to her in the morning. She was in her pajamas, and she looked around. She found a baggy white shirt, a bit torn, but it would serve its purpose. She came across some jeans, that didn't fit her at all, there were four inches that dragged on the floor, but she was far from complaining. _At least be thankful that you're alive!_

Botan sighed and opened the door. _Don't be afraid. _She stepped onto the cheap carpeting and listened before she looked.

She heard a young and eager voice laced with a heavy Irish accent. Then a big, bellowing laughter, and by the voice, it sounded like a very large man.

She walked to the kitchen to find a red haired man, who she learned was Jin, standing next to a man who had to be at LEAST six foot five man, Chuu. She smiled a bit bashfully.

"Hi."

Jin turned and his cheeks were a bit pink and Chuu looked her up and down, probably wondering about his clothes. Jin smiled.

"Good morning, lass."

Botan introduced herself and they told them their names. There was an awkward silence, but Botan knew that she was capable of bonding with these people, no matter who they were. She didn't want to think of when Hiei would wake up. It made her shiver just thinking about it.

And Jin came up with this story when they were on the subject of holidays. Kurama came up, and he sat in the chair and listened. Botan found herself laughing as she squeezed oranges. _Oranges! With a member of the Jaganshi Family! _

Hiei came, and when Botan heard his voice, that unforgettable voice, she thought she was going to faint. She turned to see him, and she could tell that he was scrutinizing Jin with his eyes. They ate. The four men talked. The assistant listened.

And when she found out that she wasn't going to die, she was so relieved that she wanted to jump and sing. To be happy. Yet, she found herself slipping into panic.

After breakfast, a man came in through the door, and Botan learned that his name was Yusuke. He came in was loud. He threw a can of beer to Chuu, and it was such a fluid motion that Botan could tell that they had known each other for years.

"Oh, you're alive and in one piece!" He stared at her with his brown eyes, and then he grinned impishly. "Nice! Now, Botan's the name, right?" Botan nodded. "Pleasure to meet you, but if you would please excuse me because I have a bone to pick with a certain short Boss."

He shook her hand and went sauntering down the hallway, searching for Hiei Jaganshi. Botan smiled as Jin, Chuu, Kurama, and herself played poker. It was great. It struck the assistant as odd that she was enjoying herself. _I'll be home soon. I'll be back at my apartment, and I'll still be working at the Library. Things will be normal. _

"YES! I win! Four of a kind!"

Chuu let out a whoop of victory and chugged his beer. _Yeah. I'll forget them and they'll forget me._

III

The second day, Hiei woke up bright and early. Kurama was still sleeping. Hiei hissed as he applied weight to his bad leg. He grabbed his crutch and wacked Kurama with it.

"Mph..." Hiei hit him again. Harder. "Alright, alright! I'm up, I'm up!" Kurama blinked drearily. "What's up?"

Hiei snarled.

"We're taking her home."

Kurama looked at his watch.

"It's five in the morning. Can't we wait?"

Hiei shook his head, growling a bit.

"She's leaving today." He waited as Kurama got dressed. "Jin is getting too attached to her." Kurama looked at him. "I don't want him thinking of her like a pet that he can love and play with."

The Second in Command frowned.

"I've never seen you so worked up over one girl before."

"I'm not worked up over her! I'm worked up over maintaining our code! She's innocent and has no business being with us." The doctor stared at the Boss. "She belongs with the normal part of humanity." Hiei shook as his hands tightened around his crutch. "She doesn't belong here, and I don't want Jin, or anyone else forgetting that."

Kurama nodded and helped Hiei up the stairs, not wanting him to hurt himself yelling at him. Hiei knocked on Botan's, originally Chuu's, bedroom door. Nothing. He opened the door and limped in.

"Hey." She was sleeping in shorts and a big tee shirt that had GIANTS on the front. "Assistant!" She stirred. "Woman!"

"What?" She yawned and once she saw Hiei she quickly woke herself up. "Is something wrong?"

Hiei frowned and nudged Kurama.

"Botan, we are going to take you home now."

She looked into Kurama's green eyes.

"Really?" He nodded. "Great!" She got up and shivered, and Hiei bent down and tossed her a sweatshirt. They walked out and she started to slow down when she saw Jin asleep on the floor. "Um, Mr. Jaganshi, what about Jin...?"

Hiei grabbed her arm as Kurama jostled Yusuke awake, making sure to cover his mouth so he wouldn't wake the others.

"He's not coming. Keep moving."

The assistant let out a little squeak of nervousness and hurried out the door with the Boss, Kurama and Yusuke stumbling behind them. Hiei motioned to Kurama, who opened the door for Botan so she could slip into the sleek black automobile. Yusuke drove, Kurama was in the passengers seat.

The car pulled out of Chuu's driveway and once the wheels started to fall into that hypnotizing hum, Botan's eyes drifted shut, and her head rolled to the side. The Boss leaned forward and found a small blanket and draped it on the woman's lap. _Have good dreams, woman. Perhaps, one day, you can forget that all of this ever happened._

IV

Yusuke slowed down near a mediocre apartment complex. Kurama opened the door, and gently shook Botan into consciousness. She sniffed and moaned wearily as she got out of the car. Hiei closed his eyes as Botan looked up the building.

"This... isn't where I live."

Hiei opened his eyes, the red glazing over a bit at memories. Painful memories and dark secrets.

"No. Yukina lives in this building."

Botan nodded and followed the three men into the building. She never thought to look back. To look over her shoulder to see a woman staring at her with fire in her eyes.

V

Yukina was sleeping when she heard voices in her kitchen. She jolted awake and went to her bedroom door.

"_Sh! We have to handle this delicately..."_

"_Look, we're gonna screw this up as it is... Mr. I-know-everything BROKE in!"_

"_Hn... shut up."_

"_Um, guys... you're gonna wake her up."_

The Librarian pulled out a wooden bat and opened the door silently. Creeping along the walls, she stalked to the voices. Bat aimed and ready, Yukina stepped out into the open and started to swing the bat, but she stopped herself when she saw familiar faces.

"Hiei!" She looked around the room. "Yusuke!" She looked, and then she saw a woman emerge from the shadows. Not just any woman. Botan. "Botan! Thank God you're okay!" Yukina hugged her assistant. "I-I prayed for you every night!" She pulled back, her hazel eyes peering into pink ones. "Are you okay? Were you treated nicely?"

Botan laughed weakly, and she showed Yukina her solid cast.

"I'm fine." She looked at Kurama, then Yusuke, and finally to Hiei. "Everyone was wonderful. I-I'm fine."

Yukina smiled.

"Good."

Hiei cleared his throat, limping forward.

"Yukina, we've healed your assistant. She'll be fine in about three weeks, thanks to Kurama here." He looked at Botan. "You can no longer stay with us, you understand that, right?"

Botan nodded.

"I do."

Hiei smirked a bit, and it was as if he was trying to smile, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Good."

Yukina sighed and touched Hiei's arm, causing him to tense.

"Hiei, come with me for a moment, okay?" Hiei nodded and made his way out of the apartment. "Hiei... please... when you take Botan back to her apartment tonight, could you check the rooms, just to make sure that everything is okay?"

Hiei frowned.

"Why?"

Yukina started to cry.

"B-because what if that w-woman tried to hurt or kill Botan to get back at y-you."

Hiei couldn't move. He hadn't thought of that.

"Yukina... you don't understand the situation..."

"Hiei... I don't want to know what you are involved in." She wiped her eyes. "You've always been... a good friend of mine, and all I'm asking of you is to please... help her. She's my best friend and I... I love her like a sister."

Hiei nodded.

"Yes. Of course."

Yukina leaned forward and embraced the Boss.

"Thank you."

VI

Botan was soon whisked away from Yukina's flat and was driven to hers. Hiei and Kurama walked with her, and Yusuke kept the car running. She waited in the elevator and Kurama smiled at her while Hiei scowled.

"We are going to search your apartment to make sure that everything is on the up and up. Then we'll be out of your hair." Kurama patted her on the head. "Forever."

Botan had a flicker of a smile cross her lips.

"Thanks." The 'ding' of the elevator rang. Floor five. Botan stepped out and waited for Hiei to step out. "It's right this way, the last one of the left."

Hiei watched her turn, and it would be an image that he would always remember. She turned, and right at that instant, Hiei heard a loud beeping that grew faster and faster. He grabbed her and Kurama was already back inside the elevator. Hiei didn't have that time. He took her arm and dragged her down and under his body.

She was scared. She had no idea why Mr. Hiei Jaganshi was on top of her or why he looked so nervous.

It was when a fiery explosion blazed throughout the halls of Floor Five that Hiei knew. It was in that violent blast that he knew that the assistant, Botan, would never be able to go back to her life. As he closed his eyes and hugged her to him, feeling her heartbeat through his shirt, he prayed to God for the first time in his life.

_Dear God, please let this assistant be okay. Please let this explosion be an accident. Please..._

VII

A/N: Hey! I worked hard... REALLY hard on this chapter, and I hope that if you liked it, you review. In fact, even if you didn't like the entire chapter, or a certain part, review and tell me about it. Please. I would love any advice! So, if you want more, leave a word!

-mia


	4. Adaptations

Three Families : Adaptations

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Keep on submitting them, and I'll keep on writing. Um, I was really thinking about this story because I LOVE it, and I guess some people don't... it doesn't seen as popular as all the others... but anyway, I was watching The Illusionist (awesome movie) and I was totally thinking about how this story could be so godly. Hahhaha. Read and Review!

I

Kurama gagged on the smoke and stood frantically as he waved his hands in front of his face, trying to clear the smoke.

"Hiei!" The Second in Command coughed. "Hiei! Are you okay?"

Kurama was relieved to hear a growl of annoyance. He saw a black lump on the floor move and he saw the Boss sit up, his eyes flickering with anxiety as he looked around. They both knew that this was not an accident.

"Fuck!" Hiei hissed, and Kurama could tell that the Boss was **_pissed_**. He didn't like to curse. Especially in front of women. "Mukuro! That crazy bitch!" Hiei closed his eyes as he moved his leg and felt for his crutch. "Kurama, are you hurt?"

The Second in Command shook his head as he lifted the Boss up and gave him his crutch. Kurama sighed and saw that Hiei was holding Botan's hand. Good lord, she was awake!

"W-what just h-happened?" She stood, trembling like a leaf on a windy day. Her pink eyes looked around like she had no idea what was going on. She walked shakily as a bit of flaming plaster fell down a few inches away from her. "I-I... I-I will make you something... d-do you like c-coffee or tea?"

She tried to get to her door, but Hiei pulled her back, his eyes sweeping the area.

"Woman, we have to go."

"No, I really have to –"

Hiei squeezed her hand, yanking her closer to him.

"ONNA!" She flinched. "We have to move!" She looked back at her home, dying faster by each passing second. "Come ON!"

Botan was pulled toward a window and Kurama went out first, then Botan, then Hiei. They hurried down the fire escape, Hiei looking behind them even as Kurama dragged him faster and faster. They had to get out. Another small explosion crackled, and Botan yelped and began to hurry.

II

"HIEI! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?"

Yusuke's mouth was open as he looked up as he heard the fire engines blaring in the background. Kurama opened the door and Hiei slid in gracefully, while Botan tried to look back at the apartment complex. Yusuke pushed her as gently as he could into the car, Hiei still holding her hand, or rather, she was still clasping it tightly.

Kurama and Yusuke finally got in, Yusuke putting the car into drive, sped out of the city. His face was a bit pale and he glanced back to the two passengers in the back.

"Are you okay?"

Hiei nodded curtly.

"Hn."

The Advisor gazed to the assistant.

"It's gone." She wasn't crying. All she would do was stare out the window at the sky. "My home is... gone."

Yusuke didn't say anything and turned back around, speeding out of the city and back to the safe house. Kurama turned on the radio and spoke in a hushed voice to the treasured Advisor.

"_Yusuke, Mukuro tried to assassinate Botan._" He took a breath. _"She's no longer safe."_

The Advisor bit his lip, focusing on the road.

"_What can we do about that? Take her in? Tell her that everything is okay?" _Yusuke sent a glare towards the Second in Command. _"That was exactly what Hiei wanted to avoid. Babysitting someone who was from the normal public." _He sighed. _"She can not stay with us."_

Kurama crossed his arms.

"_Are you saying that you would just leave her out and let Mukuro do as she wishes with her? You would let that... happen to her?"_

Yusuke's shoulders rose up.

"_No, but you know that we can't just take her in like a little orphan." _His eyes flickered over to Kurama. _"What are we going to do?"_

"_I don't know yet. We'll figure something out."_

Yusuke sighed and pressed on the gas, the car gradually going faster.

"_I hope you're right."_

III

Kurama opened the door to find his newly inducted Jin on the floor, pale with red eyes. Chuu had opened a beer and stared dejectedly at the stack of cards that was in the middle of the floor. They had just woken up. He walked in, and was followed by Yusuke. The two men recognized their friends sounds and steps. It was only until they heard the soft shuffling and cough of a feminine dialect that they looked up with wide eyes.

Botan walked shakily into the house. Her lips were parted for a moment as she took in everything once again. Her pink eyes cleared and she was instantly hugged tightly by the Irish man.

"Botan! Thank the Lord you're alright!"The man pulled back to see Botan blink... and she smiled. For the first time for that entire day, the woman smiled. Her eyes welled up with tears... and she hugged him frantically. "I thought that you had been... had been..."

Kurama and Hiei were wide eyed as they saw Jin's reaction. Kurama stole a look at the Boss to see a wave of worry mixed with disgust etch itself onto his face. The Second in Command felt a smile worming its way onto his face when Chuu tackled the two to the ground, laughing to hide his worry and relief.

"Break it up, we have work to do."

Hiei's ice cold voice broke all the love and care in the room. The assistant stood, brushing herself off and tilting her head downward. Jin nodded and Yusuke steered the young man away from the library assistant. Chuu lumbered off to the kitchen and Kurama helped Hiei to the living room.

Botan stared after the Boss. Her pink eyes narrowed, but her concentration was broken by a shout from Chuu, and she blinked, helping the man pour some iced tea for all the "guests".

IV

"Botan... I'm afraid that you've been caught up in something that would never normally... involve or concern you."

Kurama's voice was silky as he took a short sip of his tea. Hiei was glaring at his glass, as if it was the one responsible for this whole thing. The assistant frowned as she folded her hands in her lap.

"Um... is there anything that I can do... or... help with?"

Yusuke raised his eyebrows.

"Help?" He licked his lips, looking up at the ceiling. "Nothing." He smiled humorlessly. "Besides, we don't want you any more involved than you already are."

The assistant nodded and leaned back in her chair, playing with some strands of her hair, frowning because they were singed Kurama gazed at the Boss.

"Well, Hiei, what should we do?"

The short, dark man pinched the bridge of his nose, his face wrinkling with _extreme _discontent.

"I... I..." He bit his lip as he racked his mind for any sign of a good plan. "We know that Mukuro was behind this." He opened his eyes and leaned back into the couch. "It's too risky right now to fight back, with Raizen dying and Yomi replacing him." He looked at Botan, whose stance was very calm. "You'll have to stay with us." He looked away. "You're friends and family most likely think that you are missing or dead." A pause. "It's better to let them keep thinking that for now until it's safe."

Botan let one tear fall for her single friend, Yukina.

"Thank you, Mr. Jaganshi."

"Hn." He turned to Kurama and crossed his arms. "Does that sound good to you, Kurama?"

The Second in Command bit his lower lip.

"It's the best that we can do for now." He turned to Yusuke. "We'll have to feel it out before we do anything at this point. There's no telling what will happen next."

V

They ate dinner. The house grew dark, and it was only Hiei and Botan. Jin and Chuu bunked in Chuu's room, and Kurama was down in the basement with Yusuke.

The assistant was still in the pajamas that she woke up in. Her blue hair was still up in a ponytail. Hiei was in the bathroom, and he came out, walking as quietly as he could with his crutch. Botan was seated on the couch.

"Um... Hiei?" The Boss shot her a glance, and Botan's eyes widened and she scrambled for breath. "Oh, sorry, Mr. Jaganshi." She smiled nervously, and her lips ceased to curl when his face remained icy. "Is there something that I... I should know about this Mukuro woman?"

"No."

Botan felt like she had been shocked with something electrical.

"Oh, okay." An awkward silence emerged. "T-thanks again for allowing me to... stay with you."

Hiei growled lethally.

"Get this straight, woman, I do not want you here." He did not care that she seemed hurt and frightened. "Yukina is a dear woman to me, and she made me promise to her that I would make sure that you were safe. I will carry out my word and keep the code of his Family in tact by making sure an innocent woman or child is not hurt in any way if caught up in our violence."

Botan nodded.

"I see."

She saw the Boss get up, his black cloak billowing behind him. He didn't look over his shoulder as he opened the door to the basement.

"I didn't want you to be involved." Botan could hear nothing changed in his voice. And yet... _Why does he seem so... familiar? _"Try and get some sleep, woman. It will take you to a better situation then this..."

And Botan was alone. Just like that.

Sighing, she pulled the blanket up to her chin. Finally, she was able to take her blue hair out and let it fall free. Her pink eyes looked out into the darkness, as if she were trying to find something. Her shoulders went slack and her eyes closed as she started to cry.

She was not crying out of despair. Well, she was a bit sad that Yukina would not know if she was alright, but maybe Botan would be able to see her again once this whole "Mukuro" thing got straightened out. She was not crying because she was in pain.

She was crying because she was relieved. And maybe... in some not so sane part of her... happy. She was living an adventure. She sighed into the pillow. Maybe if it was just for a few weeks, she would be able to get away from normalcy. From the dreaded and darker things in her life.

_Like family..._

VI

"_You're a baka." A little girl was heard crying._ _"You brought this on yourself." A ripping of cloth was heard. "Stop crying."_

Hiei jolted awake. He clenched his right arm, moving up his sleeve to reveal a dark dragon tattoo winding itself up his arm. His breathing was short, but he soon gained control of himself. He shook to clear his head. _It was nothing. Just a stupid dream. _

The Boss rubbed his eyes and saw that Yusuke and Kurama were still asleep. Hiei bit down a yawn stretched like a cat. That was until he heard movement upstairs. Grabbing his crutch, the Boss moved silently, like a black ghost. He moved up the stairs and pulled out a sword that was fastened to his belt, the sheath empty.

He stared down the hallway. None of the doors were open, so he concluded that Jin and Chuu were still asleep. Frowning, the Boss looked over at the security system that glowed on the far wall in the living room.

All was normal.

That was when he heard the shuffle of feet. His senses were instantly up again and he crept to the kitchen. Gripping his katana and biting his lips, Hiei swung out into the open.

"AAA!" The Boss winced as the high pitched scream impaled his eardrum. There, in the kitchen, was the assistant. Her blue hair was down and her eyes were bit glassy. _Did she get any sleep at all? _"Oh God, Mr. Jaganshi, you scared me!" She was shaking. The Boss could tell that she had been trembling before he had arrived. "I was just making some coffee."

The Boss felt his entire body slacken. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _One... two... three... SCREW IT!_

"Onna... don't make so much noise!"

_Kami! I thought someone had gotten through our security systems!_ Hiei took another deep breath leaned against the wall.

"Sorry. I'll do better next time." She was whispering. "Do you want some?"

Hiei shook his head as he pulled up a chair, sitting down silently. He watched the assistant as she poured herself a cup. He watched as she stared at the steam. He watched her blink lazily. _She must be tired. _The Boss watched as she drank the liquid. That was when he felt goose bumps rise up and down his spine and down his right arm.

"Are you... drinking that **_black_**?"

The assistant turned, and that was when Hiei really saw the bags under her eyes. The way her lips twitched as they _tried _to smile. She really did try. Something sparked in the deep, dark recesses of his mind. The way her eyes were slightly dimmed with a very sad humor. _What the hell is that?_

"I am." She raised an eyebrow, and Hiei didn't recognize her for a moment. "That's okay, _right_?" Her voice, it was... dare she even try it, **_sarcastic_**! The tone of it dipped low. But it only lasted for a second. Her eyes brightened and a pink flush stained her cheeks. "I... um... I'm sorry!" She wrung her hands. "It's uh... uh... it's early."

She giggled anxiously and finished her coffee in one big gulp. The Boss didn't say anything. She poured another cup of coffee. She squeezed her eyes shut as she drank it. The Boss was astonished. Even **_he _**couldn't do that.

She opened her eyes, and she looked a little _less _tired.

VII

Jin and Chuu woke up to the enticing scent of pancakes. The two men groaned, and then, realizing that their arms were around each other, sprung apart. This, of course, caused things to crash and fall onto the floor.

"Guys? Is everything okay?"

Jin and Chuu turned to hear Botan's cheery voice floating down the halls. The two men smiled, a bit embarrassed, and went into the hallway, grinning at the woman.

"Fine, everything's fine."

Jin smiled as he peered into the kitchen. There, on the center of the table, was a plate full of pancakes with some bacon on a separate plate. It took a few seconds for Chuu's mind to register just what was going on. Then he pushed Jin roughly out of the way.

"WOO HOO! Coming through!"

Botan laughed as Chuu started eating just as Yusuke and Kurama crawled out from the basement, their hair messy and the Advisor yawned lazily. They saw Hiei chewing on a piece of pancake, his eyes drooped with boredom as Chuu and Jin wrestled for the maple syrup.

Yusuke burst out laughing, rolling on the floor, his eyes clamped shut as he heaved on the floor, his face scarlet. Kurama's eyes widened, and then he chuckled.

"Wow... I've never seen this house so... lively... ever."

Hiei growled darkly as he went for another pancake, dodging the flying maple syrup. Yusuke and Kurama broke up the fight and everyone sat down for a (semi) normal breakfast. The assistant grinned as Yusuke poked fun of the Irishmen and the drunk Australian. Hiei shot Kurama a look as his Second in Command laughed along with them.

Botan seemed to be happy, but Kurama did notice her tired eyes and how she would swallow yawns every now and again. The Second in Command sighed and leaned over so he could whisper to the Boss.

"Since... the assistant... is going to be staying with us for a while, I was thinking..."

Hiei rose an impatient brow.

"What?"

"Well... she could use some, ahem, real clothes."

VIII

"Um... guys... you really don't have to do this." Yusuke pushed the assistant forward into the store and shook his head. Kurama gazed around, his mouth dropping at all the clothes and other accessories. Hiei sneezed, the perfumes getting to him. Jin fixed his collar, feeling under dressed. "Really, I like Chuu's clothes!"

Hiei rolled his eyes.

"Onna, you are not presentable in those garments. Since all your other clothes are destroyed, I'm getting you new ones."

Botan felt her face turn bright red as she looked around, feeling more and more out of place.

"Hi-Mr. Jaganshi, please, you really don't have to." She smiled nervously. "I'm fine." Kurama snapped his fingers. "Really!"

"Kurama! Darling!"

A thin, shapely woman pranced forward, her aqua hair tied back in a fashionable bun. She threw herself on the good doctor, who tensed and tried to edge away from her, but Hiei glared at him. No. Not yet. They had to get something done.

"Juri! My friend, we... we uh, need your assistance."

The woman smiled dreamily as she gazed into Kurama's eyes.

"Anything, just name it."

Kurama's hand shot out, looking for Botan, and Hiei shoved her forward and the Second in Command dragged her to his side. Seeing the other woman, Juri's cheery face flickered. Her eyes were cold and Botan saw the flash of discontent and anger.

"I need you to dress her."

Juri crossed her arms.

"Who is she?"

Kurama smiled, giving his Boss a playful glance.

"She's Hiei's close friend."

Instantly, the joyous Juri was back and she bounced. And bounced. She looked over at the short, and now scowling little man.

"Aw, how cute!" She grabbed the assistant's hand. "Come with me and we'll fix you right up!"

Botan squeaked and looked over her shoulder.

"Hiei! I don't belong in Sax's Fifth Avenue!" She tried to get free of Juri, but the woman grinned and pulled Botan away. "Please!"

Kurama looked over to see that Hiei was not angry that Botan had said his name. Then again, it was out of panic. Jin bit his lip, not wanting to stay longer than he had to. Yusuke shook his head, muttering something about 'women'.

Hiei stared ahead at Botan, who was getting smaller and smaller as she got deeper into the New York City store.

"Do you think she'll make it out in once piece?"

Kurama heard Jin, who hissed in his ear. Hiei gazed over at the two.

"Juri's a good girl. She'll take care of her."

Jin fidgeted.

"I know but... but..."

Kurama smiled reassuringly.

"Jin, she'll be fine."

Hiei was silent as he looked through the hoards of people. The perfumes that made a cloud above their heads. A labyrinth of expensive clothes, jewelry, and other odd things. That was when Juri came running back, her eyes set on Hiei.

"Come on!" Hiei didn't budge. "Come on! You have to see her, I want to make sure that you like it!"

Kurama dragged Hiei along, while Yusuke and Jin were racing to see what Botan looked like. The entire group stopped as a team of employees stepped forward and Hiei sneezed again. He turned to Kurama.

"Since when did we need a squad?"

Kurama chuckled.

"When you want a job done, you have to do it right."

Juri nodded, taking over.

"Okay, now, we didn't change her real look, as in her face or hair. She was too beautiful to change." A girlish giggle. "But we did have some clothes, and with these outfits, prepare yourselves!"

The "squad" parted and the members of the Jaganshi family stared.

Yusuke's eyebrows shot up. Jin turned red. Kurama tilted his head to the side, and then, after a while, nodded in approval. Juri jumped up and down, squealing as she clapped her hands together. Her eyes looked to the Boss.

His stance was as cold as ice. His eyes did not light up or sparkle with desire or mirth. His mouth was not partially open. His shoulders did not slacken. In fact, they tensed. Finally, he spoke.

"Well, onna, what do you think?"

IX

A/N: If you think this chapter was too ADD, please tell me. I kinda think it is, but trust me when I tell you that I know where this is going. It's not going to be a flop. I want it to be a hit, so... REVIEW! Please? I would really appreciate it! This is my favorite story that I have written, and a lot more characters will come later on, like Keiko and Koenma! Review if you want to find out just who they are!

-mia


	5. The Incident in the City Morgue

Three Families : The Incident in the City Morgue

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Sheesh, I guess you guys must really like this one. GOOD. So do I, hahahahha. Okay, so read this one. I think this will be a bit of a "flashback" chapter, trust me, it won't be totally lame. Love you all!

I

Botan looked down. She was so... self conscious. But she would tell the truth.

"I-I like it. It's very nice... but —"

Hiei held up his hand, his face like stone.

"Good. We'll take it."

Juri jumped up and down.

"Yes! Yes! Great, amazing, the best!" Botan smiled at her, relaxing a bit. "That means all the other outfits will be perfect!" In a whirl of makeup and blue/green hair, Botan was being dragged back into the dressing room. "Come on, miss, time to get your new clothes on!"

Yusuke was laughing as Jin turned red when Botan was heard slapping a hand away.

"What are you doing? I can get undressed by myself!"

A giggle.

"Not fast enough! Now quit fighting!"

Kurama sighed and took a seat at the bench where Hiei was resting. The two men sat in silence. Yusuke gazed over. _Those two... they've been through Hell and back. _The Advisor smiled when Botan came out, tearing his thoughts away from his superiors as he smiled. She was dressed in a white dress shirt and a long black dress skirt. Very pretty. In her hand were bags. Full of other outfits, no doubt.

"You look great, Botan. Wanna bail?"

Her face was flushed a bit, still not used to being undressed by someone.

"Sure, Yusuke."

The Advisor grinned as he ran his fingers through his hair, making sure it was still slicked back. Jin hurried along and Kurama picked up his head, his red hair spilling onto his shoulders. Hiei licked his lips as he soon followed, limping on his crutch.

II

_Several years before..._

_Dr. Kurama Shuiichi woke up, gasping for air. He was in a dark space. He was cold. His green eyes struggled to find light. There was none. Coughing, the young doctor began to panic. Where was he? What had happened?_

_That was when memories came back. He remembered cutting off his hair. He remembered filling a shot glass with something. It wasn't alcohol. Throwing his head back, he drank every drop._

_Now what? His chest expanded and he needed to **get out**! He had to **get out**! Before **they **find him and try to kill him again! _

_Who? Who was trying to kill him? Kurama tried to remember. A sensible part of him spoke up. Don't worry. Amnesia is a common side effect. Side effect to what? To what he took. What did he take?_

_Kicking and thrashing about, Kurama pushed a door open that was above him. He saw light! **Get out! Get out! Get out!** _

_The doctor breathed fresh air. His legs had pins and needles in them. He looked at his fingers. The prints had been sliced off. Ow, who did that? He did that. Kurama pinched the bridge of his nose. Why couldn't he remember anything clearly? _

_He coughed and looked at the space he came from. It was silver. It reminded him of an oven. But it wasn't. The doctor shivered. That was when he realized that he was naked. Kurama looked around. Normally, the situation would have mortified him. But this was different somehow. He felt as though he had passed some great test. _

_Dr. Kurama Shuiichi began to laugh. He ran his fingers through his short and hacked off hair. He laughed. He remembered his patients. He remembered almost dying by his coworkers hands. He guffawed. He remembered taking his own special medicine. _

_He even recalled dying as soon as he took that shot._

_Kurama began to walk down the hall. His name was Kurama Shuiichi. The world had no idea where he was. If they did, they thought he was dead. His name was Kurama Shuiichi and he was ALIVE! He was a desperate man, but he was ALIVE!_

_He walked out and saw a clock. It was midnight. The only light was coming from the city lights outside and possibly the moon. He saw a man standing there. The man was short and was wearing all black. A bouquet of flowers were in his hands, and he looked up._

_Kurama was frozen to the spot. The man's eyes, those red eyes, were wide. He must be wondering why a dead man was walking. His face was pale and his mouth was slightly open. Soon, however, he cleared his throat._

"_I must say, I've seen many things in my life, but I've never seen the dead walk." Kurama saw a very thin smile emerge onto the mans face. It was a dangerous smile. "These were for you." The doctor still couldn't speak. "Here."_

_The man walked forward and approached the dead man and held the flowers out to him. Dr. Kurama Shuiichi took them. _

"_Thank you." He used them to partially cover himself, earning a smirk from the man. "Who are you?"_

_The man had his hands in his pockets as he looked up at the doctor. _

"_My name is Hiei Jaganshi." Kurama bit his lip. "You don't know me, and you haven't heard of me." He smiled, his teeth shining like a wolf's. "But you will. I'm soon going to take over the ancient Koorime Family."_

_Kurama gasped. The Koorime Family? It was one of the three most deadly Families in New York._

"_R-really? Why did you bring me flowers?"_

_Hiei shrugged it off._

"_When I heard the good Dr. Kurama Shuiichi was dead, I decided to pay my respect." Kurama stiffened and Hiei saw it. "Don't worry. I'm not going to turn you in." Hiei tilted his head to the side. "How did you do it? Your heart stopped beating. My men were sure of it when we checked you. And it's been three days."_

_Kurama let a small smile emerge onto his face._

"_An old brew I had made. It's great for a quick and painless death. Only it's temporary."_

_Hiei nodded._

"_Like Romeo and Juliet. Nice."_

_Kurama found himself liking Hiei more and more. The man's voice was so flat and uncaring, but his entire demeanor said otherwise. The doctor had learned a lot by working with people. One of his talents was reading them. And Hiei... Hiei was the most interesting person he had met yet. Such a cold exterior. Something secret had to be hidden underneath._

"_Well... I should be going I guess..."_

_Kurama began to move and Hiei stopped him, touching his shoulder. _

"_No." The dangerous man smirked. "You won't last a second in New York looking like that." Hiei began to take off his overcoat. "This is really heavy, but it's all the extra clothes I have." Kurama didn't have a say in the matter as Hiei, a man who had probably murdered hundreds and dabbled in all sorts of sins, draped his coat over him, tying the sash tightly. "You can crash at my place for the time being."_

_The two men walked out of the city Morgue. As they came to an apartment, Kurama was stared at, and he tried to ignore it. It was only until they were in the safety of the elevator that the doctor spoke._

"_I don't think I should be here... people are staring at me..."_

_Hiei leaned against the metal of the walls. _

"_They're just nosy." His eyes closed. "I don't usually have guests. The only thing that they will think is that I have an... interesting sex life." Hiei saw the doctor's face flushed scarlet. "Come now, Dr. Kurama Shuiichi. It's better they think that then ponder who you **actually **are."_

"_Yes. Sorry."_

_Hiei shook his head. _

"_No need, Mr. Shuiichi."_

"_Please, call me Kurama."_

_The elevator opened to a glorious penthouse. Kurama had thought that he was only to spend the night, perhaps even have breakfast in the morning. He had not expected Hiei to give up his bed and sleep on the couch. He had not expected to be given clothes. _

_Over the days, Hiei would leave and come back to see Kurama cooking for reading one of the many books from a shelf. They would speak. Sometimes, Kurama was able to make Hiei laugh. After the first time, Hiei was shocked and said no one was able to make him do that. _

_They became friends. _

_Hiei got him a good and decent haircut. He gave him food, water, and more conversation than one could ask for. _

_They became best friends. Though, none of them would say it. Kurama never left and he began to heal the wounded crime members. He became a friend to many in the Koorime Family. Kurama even remembered when the Koorime Family became the infamous Jaganshi Family. He was there when he became Hiei's right hand man. The Second in Command._

_And Kurama Shuiichi had been there when Hiei first met Mukuro._

III

Yusuke had a cigarettehanging from his lips as he dealt cards. Jin's eyes were darkened in concentration. Chuu had a six pack and he took a can. Kurama was drinking some herbal tea. Hiei was sitting in a chair, far away from the game.

Botan was on the floor, looking at her cards. Her hair was up, like normal. But she had women's clothes on now. Hiei found himself staring. She looked so... odd with her legs crossed in her black skirt and her eyes shimmering with concentration. _Something... what the HELL is it?_

The Boss huffed and crossed his arms as his eyes closed. _There is **something **about that damned assistant! _

An uproar interrupted him. Chuu had won.

It had been almost a month now. They had celebrated Thanksgiving together. And now it was the Christmas season. Hiei grumbled. Botan said something. She was going to get some chips as this Poker Night continued.

She was in the kitchen and Hiei was the first to hear her scream. Everyone was up. They found her on the floor, shivering as she pointed to the window. A bullet had lodged itself in the glass, white cracks that looked like a spider web spreading across the glass.

The phone rang. Hiei looked at it and picked it up.

"Hello?"

"_Hey there, darling."_

Hiei clenched his fists.

"Mukuro."

"_That's right. Did I scare your new piece of meat?"_

Hiei's blood red eyes flashed.

"She's nothing important."

"_Then why are you so tense? Your fists will bleed if you clench them any tighter."_

Hiei whirled around. She could see him. _That bitch can see me! _

"Where are you? Just tell me so we can end this. Just you and me."

"_Sounds romantic." _She was just toying with him now. _"Is she still crying?" _Hiei looked at Botan. _"Answer me or **I swear I will kill her tonight**."_

"She is."

"_Good. She knows that her time is close." _

Hiei gazed out the window.

"What do you want?"

"_I want that girl's life. You can tell her that." _The Boss heard a sigh on the other end. _"Do you understand the situation?"_

"I might. Explain it to me."

"_Nice tone. You're really mad, aren't you?" _Hiei didn't answer. _"I guess you've still got that whole 'innocent life' part about you. Weak." _A crackling told the Boss that she was moving around. _"The situation is that I will always be there." _The assistant stood, wiping her eyes. _"I will always be there. I will be able to touch her. Harm her. And eventually, kill her." _Hiei had to fight the urge to vomit at her cold and slimy voice. _"I'll make sure to make a recording of her death."_

Hiei was beginning to feel a slow rage begin to consume him.

"Why? Why bother?"

He heard a dark chuckle.

"_So you can hear her **scream**..."_

And with a click, she was gone.

IV

"What should I do, Kurama?"

There were whispers in the dark. Hiei and Kurama were "sleeping" in the basement. The Boss was very uncertain. Some would say scared. He felt her eyes. And it bothered him to know end.

"What is there to do?" There was a brooding silence. "Do you think she is acting out of jealousy... or something else?"

A humorless laugh burst out.

"Jealousy? No. Far too sane." Hiei let out a very hollow breath. "She's lost her mind to drugs years and years ago."

Kurama knew this. He had seen the darker years of Hiei's life and career.

"She shouldn't be in power of the Makai family." A small pause. "Maybe if we ask Yomi for assistance. He seems to like me."

A silence. A hopeful silence.

"Maybe."

They drifted into a sleep.

V

_The air is cold. A little boy does not shiver even though he is dressed in dirty rags. He has a white scarf and he gazes out into a street of people. He has on a tan vest. He looks up at a humongous tree. It sparkled and was dazzling with decorations and lights. The Tree. _

_People would gather. And people always had money. Smirking, the little boy sprinted. When he was done, purses were gathered up in his hands. It would take the owners a few minutes to realize what had happened. _

_The little boy was in an alley, taking all the goods. Money. Food. He lucked out and found some chap stick. The little boy smiled. Two hundred dollars! What a run! He was about to make another round when he heard sobbing._

_His eyes traveled to a little girl. Probably a year younger than him. Year and half maybe. _

_She was looking around, frantically. Even now, in this dream, the boy could not see all of her face. Only her mouth and nose. She was dressed in a nice coat with scarlet mittens. The boy frowned. She was not from the city. Probably coming to see the tree. _

_No one looked at her. Or offered any help. She was alone. And crying. The boy dropped the purses, not caring. He already had the money in a secret pocket in his vest. _

"_You." The boy was very direct. "You!" The girl turned, and she hiccuped. The boy walked so he didn't have to shout. "What are you crying for?"_

_She looked through the crowd. _

"_They left me! A-again! I-I c-c-can't find them!"_

VI

Hiei opened his eyes. Light was coming through the window. He shook himself as he got up. Kurama was still sleeping. The Boss smiled as he watched the doctor breathe.

Breakfast was quiet. Everyone, even the assistant, was on edge. The assistant was smiling, though. She was attempting to be happy, for everyone else's sake. Once Kurama was up and had eaten, they both left.

Kurama drove.

"Is he still at the same place?"

Hiei looked out of the car window.

"Yep."

Hiei got out of the car and Kurama followed him as they went into an elevator.

"Do you think he'll be happy to see us?"

Kurama was worried.

"I don't know. I haven't spoken to him in a while."

The doors opened. Hiei almost shut his eyes. Almost. There was Yomi, and he was draped in women. Barely clothed, topless women. Hiei had to bite down his pride and codes and stepped out of the elevator. Kurama followed, keeping his eyes to himself.

"Hiei... I haven't seen you in a while."

A woman, or should we call her a prostitute, tried to touch Hiei's arm. He growled, warning her.

"It has been a while."

Yomi held up his hand and the women moaned in protest as they picked themselves off of him.

"What are you here for?"

Kurama was silent. It was Hiei's turn to talk.

"Mukuro, Yomi. She can't handle her power. She needs to be stripped of her title as Boss of the Makai family."

Yomi let out a long breath.

"That's a tall order, Hiei. You know that." He pulled out a cigarette. "She's got a problem, I have to admit... but you're asking me to start a war, Hiei! I can't do that. Remember the Valentine massacre back in the 30s? This will be worse!"

Hiei crossed his arms.

"If it has to be done, then I'm willing."

Yomi shook his head.

"No. No. I won't stand with you on this one. Not today."

Kurama frowned as he clenched his fists.

"Sir, excuse me, but I have to say that if it's not today, then it will be coming soon. Ever since the death of Raizen, the Families have been out of wack because of the Makai Family! A war is coming, and I know you can feel it."

Yomi was silent. Hiei put a hand on Kurama's shoulder.

"Come on. We won't get any help here." Kurama hesitated but nodded in the end. Hiei turned as the elevator doors closed. "If you ever change your mind, you know my number."

VII

A/N: Hey guys! Don't forget to review. Oh, and if you read Not Okay (new story) I'll reply to your review! And give you some cookies! Woot! Alright, tell me if you like Kurama's rocky past! I loved it! So juicy! Review! Review for Not Okay!

-mia


	6. Australian Kisses

Three Families : Australian Kisses

A/N: Thanks for reviewing. Please, if you read the chapter, review! I really love this story, and I promise, you'll like this story. I think that it's going to be longer than usual, but hey, who cares! Read and Review!

I

Hiei and Kurama drove most of the way back in silence. The Boss gazed out the window at the rapidly darkening sky.

"Kurama?"

"Hm?"

The Boss shifted, his leg fully recovered, if not better than ever. He had to admit, his friend really did have a talent. He was able to walk, gun, and jump again.

"What's going to happen?" Hiei's voice was still cold as his breath fogged up the window. "I never figured something like this would happen, to me, of all people." He finally turned away from the window to face Kurama Shuiichi. His face was dead serious. "I can't give Bo-the assistant up to Mukuro... but if she stays..."

Kurama finished his sentence.

"The Three Families could fall apart." Hiei nodded. The doctor kept on driving, the street lights blending into two solid beams. "I don't think that will happen." His green eyes sparkled as he smiled at his old friend. "She isn't the type to try and cause trouble–"

"Kurama, that's not what I meant." Hiei pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyebrows furrowed as though he had a headache. "She wouldn't cause trouble... but her being with us... if she grew to important to Jin, Chuu, or even Yusuke... and something were to happen to her..."

Kurama saw what was truly worrying his friend.

"We'll take good care of her, Hiei." A short pause. "You always make Yukina proud."

Hiei bristled and turned away, looking out the window again.

"Hn..."

II

When they finally got back to the safety house, it was about eleven. Hiei stepped in first, and was surprised to see the kitchen light was out, and there was a pale glow coming from Chuu's room. Kurama raised an eyebrow and put a finger to his lips, Hiei nodded slightly and they crept towards the flickering light.

"_Where did you live, Botan?"_

The two men were close. They heard the shifting of cloth, most likely the blankets on the bed.

"_It was a small town in New Jersey... I was there for a while, but then I moved in with my uncle. After growing up I went to college and came to New York City... and Yukina and I became friends. After that... well... here I am."_

Kurama was outside of the door, Hiei close behind him.

"_How old were you when you started living with your uncle?"_

Yusuke's voice. Hiei narrowed his eyes.

"_Three going on four." _A loud exhale that sounded like a groan was Chuu's familiar sigh. _"What about you guys? How did all of you end up where you are?"_

Hiei opened the door. What he found was surprising, but in a way, hopelessly cute.

Botan was in the bed, wearing her new satin pajamas, her hair down and her eyes drooping with exhaustion. Jin was still in his clothes, though he had unbuttoned his entire white shirt, exposing his lean and well toned chest. Chuu was in a 'wife beater' shirt with his boxers. Yusuke was the only one who was in his original clothes. The men were sitting on the floor, and Botan had set up candles around the room, giving it a very relaxed feel.

"Good evening, Hi-Mr. Jaganshi."

The assistant flushed at her mistake and lowered her gaze to her hands that were folded in her lap. Yusuke was the first up, dusting himself off. Jin had a guilty look on his face, like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Chuu was... drunk.

"Alright, men, let's call it a night, shall we?" Kurama had a faint, but kind smile o his face. His green eyes swept over to the smiling women in bed, her eyes glazed with the need to sleep. "Good night, Botan."

She bowed her head slightly, her blue locks spilling off of her shoulders.

"Good night, Kurama."

Kurama, Yusuke, and Hiei went down the to the basement. Chuu was left passed out on the couch while Jin had a pillow and was curled up on the floor. The three men walked down the stairs.

"How did the meeting with Yomi go?"

Hiei took off his cloak and then his shirt. Kurama did the same.

"Not good. He won't stand with us now."

The Second in Command wrapped a blanket around himself as he sat down on his cot.

"But he knows that a war is coming. Everyone can feel it. And he will have to take a side whether he likes it or not."

Yusuke bit his lip as he pulled his shirt up and over his head, exposing his lean chest and stomach. His hair isn't slicked back as much as he flopped onto the cot.

"So... where does that leave us?"

Hiei leaned back, staring at the ceiling. There were water stains.

"We can't go out and fight right now, guns blazing like suicidal fools."

The Advisor pulled the thin sheet over his body.

"What about Botan?" Silence. Ouch. No one spoke for several minutes. "How long are we going to be able to just sit here? How long can we wait until Mukuro decides to make her move? It's the beginning of December, and I have the feeling she doesn't want us to see the coming Christmas."

Hiei sat up, not able to see anything in the darkness.

"When should we leave?"

The three men did not need to answer each other.

III

Botan was not sleeping. She was not awake. Her mind didn't bother producing dreams. She was simply drifting. Her thoughts would keep her in the semi-conscious. _How is this going to end? Where did Hiei go today? _Inhale. _Will I live through this? Does Yukina think I am dead? _

Her door was opened and a gentle hand woke her. She was shaken, her blue hair falling from the pillow and onto her body. Her pink eyes opened to see a very urgent Irish face.

"Sh." He looked dragged her out of bed, making sure not to pull too hard. "Come on and be quiet."

The assistant didn't nod. She saw that Jin had a bag of her clothes in his hands. They went down the hall, Chuu was biting his nails, slugging back a beer. Botan found herself in the living room, where Hiei, Kurama, and Yusuke were all standing.

Hiei Jaganshi had his arms crossed. His eyes swept the newcomers. He nodded, which made Kurama take the bag from Jin and usher him to stand with them. Chuu still stood where he was.

"You want me to look after the place as usual, right?"

Yusuke smiled. It wasn't his normal cheeky grin. The Advisor brought out a six pack and handed it to Chuu.

"For your troubles."

The large Australian man took it. Yusuke began to turn but Chuu grabbed him. His eyes were teary and the Advisor didn't push his friend away. However, he did tense up when Chuu crashed his beer coated lips on his.

With a yelp, Chuu was pushed back. Not hard enough to knock him over, but hard enough to get him off. Yusuke was panting and his face was a bit red.

"Come on, man!"

He wiped his mouth. Chuu began to cry.

"I'm gonna miss you guys." Yusuke was still giving him a wary look. "In my homeland, that is how we say goodbye."

Yusuke muttered something about how America is different. Hiei and Kurama were kissed goodbye, on the cheek. Jin gave him a big bear hug (as best he could) and didn't even blink when the drunk pecked him.

"Oy, Chuu... I'll miss ya'."

Botan was the only other person who was kissed on the lips besides Yusuke. Her eyelashes had tears caught in them. It was beautiful.

"Goodbye, Chuu."

Botan knew that she would probably never see Chuu again. Her brain was still a bit slow, but even she could pick up that fact that they had to move. To another safe house. She liked Chuu. It would take her a while to ask why the others were emotional. It would take her a moment to ask why Hiei allowed Chuu to kiss him.

"Come on, let's move while it's still dark."

Yusuke pulled some goggles out of his pocket and opened the front door. They were green. Botan's eyes widened when she realized what they were. Night vision goggles.

"We're good."

He pulled two pistols from the inside of his shirt. They were gleaming silver. Probably customized. Hiei and Kurama exited first, then Jin. All of them used their bodies as a shield to protect the assistant.

Yusuke opened the door to the car. Botan in first. Then Hiei. Jin, Kurama, and Yusuke. They were all piled together, squashed like canned fruit. Botan could only get so close to the window before she became a part of the car. Red met pink when Hiei had to edge up close, even though he was constantly pushing Jin. Kurama and Yusuke were in the front.

"Everyone, just be quiet."

Yusuke started the car. To Botan's astonishment, it was silent. She whispered to Hiei.

"Hiei?"

"Hn."

"Why isn't the car making noise? What about the headlights?"

"It's a hybrid. When driving under twenty-five miles per hour, the car is silent. As for the lights, all my cars are specialized to work the way I need them to."

Botan nodded. That was when she realized she called him Hiei.

IV

Hiei didn't turn on any lights. He made sure that Kurama and Yusuke woke up Chuu and Jin discretely. The woman was very passive. Lucky. The men knew that this was dangerous. Chuu was aware that he would have to be left behind.

Danger. He would have to be left behind. In the middle of danger.

The goodbyes were very wet. Hiei smirked when Yusuke got a big smooch on the lips. Of course, his smirk slid right off his face when the large man kissed his cheek softly. He didn't dare move to stop him, however.

Botan kissed Chuu on the lips. Hiei frowned when he saw the flush creeping up her cheeks. _What's her problem? _The Boss didn't elaborate as everyone except Chuu filed out of the house and into the car. The space was cramped, but Hiei would have to deal with it. That was when her voice broke his concentration.

"Hiei?"

Hiei felt his eyebrows shoot up. _Since when can she call me **Hiei**? _He then realized that it was a tough time. _I'll let it slide. This time. _

"Hn."

She asked about the car. Hiei answered. Proper precautions. The car lurched as it started and began to move forward. At that moment, Botan, Hiei, and Jin all were jostled about. The assistant was pressed against the window. Jin was holding onto the armrest so he didn't accidently molest his Boss. And Hiei... well...

He found himself pressed against the onna's... um... well you get the picture. Let's just say that he was fighting to not say **_anything _**and he would certainly not let pink stain his face. Ever. His eyes closed as another jerk shook them. He pushed himself up. He could feel her tense up. She probably had never been so close to a murderer before. _It's not the space issue. Her beauty, please. Being a virgin is not an option for her._

The car was out of the driveway. It was crawling down the road. They would travel under twenty-five miles per hour until they were safe. Until they were sure that they were on the highway and away from Mukuro.

The woman next to the Boss sighed as they finally all relaxed. They were leaving. The assistant didn't know where, and Hiei had been a bit taken aback when she didn't ask. _Baka. _

"Finally... I thought for a minute that something was going to happ–"

Hiei saw the small burst. It was in the corner of his eye. He jerked around to stare out the back window. Botan saw his wide eyes and his paling face. The smoke was vanishing, but he saw the light. The trail of sparks.

His eyes flickered to Chuu's house. The safe house. He pictured Chuu crying. Fat tears sliding down his face as he chugged a beer, his lips red because he had bitten them to keep down the sobs. His cheeks were rosy. His hair was a bit disheveled.

All those pictures died when the missel collided into the side of the house. A small explosion. It was soon followed by the a larger one. Jin was thrown forward, hitting his head on the corner of his window, falling unconscious. Kurama and Yusuke let out shouts of shock as they stared at the flaming rubble.

Mukuro. Hiei saw Botan began to fall forward. His arms shot out, his sleeves slipping back as he grabbed her, pulling her close to him, shielding her with his own body. She was crying. Hiei couldn't hear all that well because of the explosion, but he could see the wet trails shimmering in the dark. _In the dark..._

Yusuke was shouting. Hiei saw that the white stars of bullets trying to fight their way through the bullet-proof glass were appearing on their car. Yusuke was breathing rapidly as he floored it.

The assistant clung to Hiei as they lurched forward again. Jin was sliding off the seat. Hiei couldn't stop staring at the house. Chuu was annoying. He was a drunk. He was barely able to start a normal conversation. But he was reliable. He was there. He was a friend. He was **_Hiei's _**fried.

Botan's blue hair covered part of her face was she pulled away. Her hands were shaking. Hiei didn't let emotion come to his face. He had seen death. He had seen many people that he might have loved die. She was trying to stop hyperventilating. Hiei was watching her out of the corner of his scarlet eyes.

There was something about her lips that seemed familiar. How they were redder now. The way her cheeks were dotted pink in the middle, but pale on the sides. The way her eyes leaked tears so silently. No over dramatic sobbing or unneeded screams. Botan was crying. She was truly crying because she was in grief for another.

Hiei turned away from her and the remains of the safe house. _It's been a while since I've seen that trait in a human._

V

The fire was crackling loudly. You wouldn't think it, but fires really are obnoxiously noisy. A woman was thinking all of this as she stuck a match and lit a cigarette. Her brown hair was matted and messy.

"Let's see how the great Jaganshi handles that." She took a drag. "Fucker." Her men didn't meet her eyes. They were scared of her. "He knows he can't mess with me."

Mukuro watched the car screech down the street. A muscular man with little brain matter came up to her, scratching his head.

"Do you want us to go after them, ma'am?"

The Boss of the Makai Family narrowed her eyes.

"No, idiot. They're going back to New York City." She finished the cigarette. It wasn't enough. "Come on, let's go. We'll find them in the morning. Or wait... in a few days. I need some days to relax."

Relax. More like take some shots of heroin. Her eyes swivelled in her sockets as she headed to their car. She motioned to one of her men.

"C'mon. Let's get out of here."

She slipped into the back and fumbled in her briefcase. Inside were some syringes. With expertise she took off her belt and tightened it around her arm. Tighter. Tighter. Ah. There it is. Her vein. She licked her lips as she pressed the syringe into her skin.

"Ma'am?"

She pulled out her gun and without thinking, shot one of her Soldiers squarely in the head. She giggled like a five-year-old. The man in the passengers seat flinched badly.

"Clean that up." She dropped the gun and let her head roll back. "How many times have I told everyone not to question me? How many?"

"Many times, ma'am."

It didn't matter that he answered her as he frantically pushed the body out of the car and tried to clean the blood off of the windshield. Mukuro was in another world at that point.

VI

Kurama and Yusuke were the only ones awake by the end of their journey. Kurama was still a bit sick and Yusuke hadn't spoken a word. It was Kurama who turned to see Botan sleeping, leaning against the window. Hiei had nodded off, his head resting on the woman's shoulder. Jin... well his mouth was open against the window, drool spilling out of it. _Poor kid. Knocked out._

Kurama opened the door and whispered to Yusuke.

"_Yusuke. Can you help me out?"_

The Advisor jerked a bit and nodded quickly.

"_Yeah, man. Sure. Yeah... okay."_

The Second in Command opened back door and cradled Botan so she didn't wake. Hiei, however, woke up to see that he had moved from her shoulder to the side of Botan's breast. Jolting awake he was cold again. Kurama almost laughed.

Yusuke took Jin. They were outside of Hiei's apartment. They took the elevator. Hiei was still drowsy, but he was all business when the doors opened to his flat. He spoke in a hushed voice, a voice that Kurama had rarely heard and that Yusuke had **never **heard. It was the same voice that a father would use when dealing with sleeping children.

"_Okay... the assistant gets my bed. There's a pull out mattress under the couch. I'll take the couch and you two can share the mattress, or we can reverse it, I don't care. As for Jin... I've got some extra blankets. We'll set him up on those on the floor."_

Botan was taken care of first. She snuggled right into the silk sheets and Hiei showed his men where to find the extra blankets. They folded them and Jin was laid down gently. Kurama took out a thin flashlight and opened Jin's eyes, the light shining into them.

"_He has a minor concussion. He just needs some rest and a bit of observation. He'll be fine, Hiei."_

Hiei nodded curtly and sat on the couch. His fingers wound themselves in his raven locks as he stared into space.

"This is getting out of hand." Silence answered him. "I'm doing a favor for Yukina... and I am maintaining the Jaganshi Code. I'm doing my best to protect this assistant." He looked to his two best friends. The most trusted people he held to him. "How far do you think this will go?"

Yusuke sighed.

"I don't know Mukuro that well, Hiei. I've heard stories, but those were just stories." He took a breath. "The only person alive that knows everything about her is you."

Hiei nodded and shut off the lights. _I know, Yusuke. _He had known her. Very well. And he had seen everything she was made of. He had seen her sanity falling apart at the seams. She had been his lover. He had done unspeakable things with her. Not just sex, that didn't really bother him.

It was drugs that she offered him. It was the drugs that he took that terrified him. He could still her bloodshot eye staring at him, laughing as she looked like an empty shell. _If I'm right, which I am... she'll never stop. _Her single eye crinkling as she giggled girlishly. _She's too far gone..._

VII

A/N: Oof. Did that hurt you guys? I'm so sorry for killing off Chuu. I do like him. And as for Mukuro... I don't really hate her. Not that much. I just needed a villain. Did you like it? Please... PLEASE tell me. And, if you are interested, please read Not Okay. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, I worked hard and I don't know what doing drugs is like, but I've read enough. Hahhaha. Review please!

-mia


	7. A Delicate Mind

Three Families : A Delicate Mind

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'm really glad that all of you liked it. I'm sorry that I had to kill of Chuu. I liked him too. Um, I think I will focus a bit more on Botan in this chapter... but I'm not sure. Please Read and Review!

I

_The boy was cold. He didn't respond for a moment, more concerned on how warm the little girl must be. He crossed his arms and glanced around. _

"_Stop crying." She didn't. She hiccuped and opened her mouth to wail. The little boy covered her mouth with his dry hand and glared at her. "Stop crying. If you want to find 'them' again, you **will **stop crying, understand?" The young girl nodded, sniffing and wiping her face. "What do they look like?"_

_She bit her lips._

"_M-my Uncle is a really b-big man. H-his beard is r-really fuzzy and he w-wearing a thick brown coat."_

_She was stuttering. The boy nodded. He had stolen the woman's purse who was walking with that man. Probably her Aunt. He had overheard where they were going. Some sort of Hotel. The little boy grabbed the girl's hand and led her out of the streets. _

"_Come with me. I'll take you to your family."_

_The snow was still falling and the little girl was too young to question the boy that was just a bit older than her. Her lips were open as she followed him. To where, she didn't know. Her innocent soul lay completely in the boy's hands. _

II

Hiei woke up early. It had to be about five. His body was stiff, so he got up and walked around. He didn't bother to put on his cloak. It helped him keep his footsteps light and silent. He peeked into his room.

The assistant was still asleep.

_That's good. _The Boss sat down in the kitchen, not wanting to stand anymore. He folded his arms on the counter and buried his head in them. _Dammit, Mukuro... Chuu was a good man. _Hiei Jaganshi needed this to end. Whether it be through death or war, he didn't want this to continue.

**_I will never stop..._**

Hiei had been in her world. He had lost it. For a good while, he could barely operate without drugs. _Hn. Those were the days that I thought 'love' existed. _

Hiei closed his eyes... and remembered.

III

_Hiei watched her across the table. The Three Families were having a meeting, discussing just where boundaries were. Just who was in charge of what. Boring shit if you asked Hiei. _

_He was the Second in Command of the Koorime Family back then. His Boss's height was average. Not tall. Not short. Just average. His boss had the blackest hair you could have ever seen, but his eyes were hazel. Very soft, hazel eyes. _

"_Raizen, what are you planning for your Makai Family?"_

_Raizen stood, his long brown hair falling behind him. Hiei didn't listen to what he had to say. He was staring at Raizen's Advisor. Mukuro. Their eyes met. A curve of her lips told him that she knew what he was thinking about. _

_When the meeting was over, Hiei was dismissed. His Boss patted him on the back, sighing._

"_Hiei?"_

"_Hm?"_

_The Second in Command was a bit distracted. The Boss had a sad smile on his face._

"_You know that you are like a son to me." Hiei's lips twitched, a small smile forming. "You **are **the son I never had. And that is why..." The Boss put his hand on Hiei's shoulder, squeezing it. "That is why, when I die, which will be soon," Hiei was about to interject, but his Boss stopped him. "I want you to lead the Koorime Family."_

_Hiei felt like the wind had been knocked out of his lungs. _

"_T-thank you, sir."_

_His Boss shook his thanks away and walked away. _

_About ten minutes later, Hiei was in a penthouse. It was not his. He could barely close the door behind him before he was savagely kissed by Makai's Advisor. She had both eyes back then._

_They never talked. Hiei didn't even object when his shirt was ruined when she ripped it apart, the buttons flying off. She spun around, but then opened Hiei's mouth with her tongue. He felt the pill slip inside. _

_She was not going to kill him. She had done this before. And it was incredible. Every sensation was drastically heightened. Her hair was let down, her brown locks falling around her face raggedly. She was panting, her breath taunting the Second in Command of the Koorime Family._

_Hiei kissed her. It was not tender. It was not sweet. It was raw. It hurt. It was wet. She was only in a robe, and Hiei grabbed the sash, flinging it to his side. She shrugged it off without a speck of modesty. _

_Some would call it primal. It was. Hiei thought he loved her. He really thought he did. He **thought** that she was perfect for him. He didn't care about the odd habit that she had of biting him, leaving marks. He didn't think it was odd when she would laugh out of nowhere when they were all over each other. _

_Every doubt would disappear in brutal sex. Pleasuring sex. Just sex, really._

_He would be on top of her, her nails leaving marks in his back. When it was all over, she would say, over and over again, that she loved him. He would be silent as she feel asleep. _

IV

Botan had been awake since four o'clock. She just didn't move. Her pink eyes were open, staring at nothing. Her breathing was deep as she fought the urge to cry. Her arms were brought up to her chest.

_Why?_

Tears slid down her face, but her eyes remained open. She inhaled as she remembered Chuu's lips being pressed against hers. That had been her second kiss... ever. Botan bit down hard on her lower lip to stop from crying out.

_Why did Chuu have to die?_

She sobbed into her pillow. She remembered everything he had ever done for her. The poker games they played. The jokes that he would share with her. The slaps on the back. The group hugs with Jin, Chuu, and herself.

The assistant coughed. That was when she realized just why this happened.

_It's **my **fault. Everything is happening... because of... **me**._

She swung her long legs over the bed and stood. She was dizzy, but that didn't matter. Not anymore. Shivering, she opened the door and stepped out into wherever she was.

She saw a living room to her left. It was beautiful. She put the scenery together and concluded that she was in someone's penthouse. That was when she looked to her right.

A kitchen. Sitting with his head buried in his arms was Hiei Jaganshi. Botan moved so she was behind the counter, in front of the Boss.

"Hiei?"

He jumped a little. It was very slight, but his shoulders twitched. He looked up, very light grey circles under his glorious red eyes.

"It's Mr. Jaganshi."

Botan didn't notice. Or she ignored him. Her mind wasn't really working on politeness right now. All she wanted was to get her thoughts, or rather demands, out in the open.

"I'm leaving."

Hiei straightened his slouch and glared at her. Botan had to admit, for being short, he really w_as _intimidating.

"You're **_what_**?"

His voice was sharp, even though it was soft. Deadly. Precise. The assistant lifted her head, defiant, her entire stance strong though she was crying. It was a beautiful sight, really. Such a sad sight, a dying girl, her soul darkened with these new experience, trying her best to not fall. To not just crumble in and blow away into the wind.

"If I leave..." Her eyes were glazed, and her voice was tight. "If I leave... all of this will end." She smiled, but she wasn't looking at Hiei. She was in her own thoughts. Memories. "I'm the only expendable one here." She had to stop. She had to swallow the hot coal that was lodged in her throat. She sighed. Her pink eyes were still not meeting Hiei's. "_Worthless... that is what I am..._"

The Boss's face actually turned red. In an instant, he was in the air, his hair brushing the ceiling. Botan's eyes snapped back to his form. She stepped back, pressing herself against he wall.

_Impossible! He's moving like an animal! There's no way he can do that!_

He landed in front of her, clearing the counter. Hiei's arms shot out and grabbed her shoulders, his long nails digging into her skin. His eyes were wild with fury.

"**_Don't you even say those words again_**." He was squeezing her. "Yukina... my... she asked me to protect you." He brought her closer to him. She could feel his breath. "Chuu liked you. You were a friend of his." Even closer. Almost nose to nose. "Don't you **dare **dishonor him by throwing yourself into danger."

Botan bit her lip.

"But..."

"But **_nothing_**." His eyes were so intense. It was like he could see right through her. "I gave my word." His hold suddenly slackened. "This... this kind of attack was not spurred by your presence alone." His eyes flickered for a moment. "Mukuro was bound to come after me sooner or later."

Botan broke. She sank to her knees. Hiei knelt to meet her. His knees hit the tile, and he never broke his eye contact with her.

"I... I don't want... anyone..." She convulsed, but Hiei still held her. It was just a reaction to her holding back a sob. "... to die..."

Hiei took her chin in his hand. He made her look to the living room.

"Those men are loyal to me." He was whispering into her ear. "They follow my command, but they believe in my code. My code... well... a part of my code is to never allow the innocent to come to harm."

Botan shook her head weakly.

"_No..._"

Hiei let out a breath.

"I protect my men, my friends, as if they were my family." He was still holding her face. "They like you. Unlike me, they see you as a friend." His words were harsh, but true. "Don't leave me." A pause. "I _want _to protect you. For Yukina's sake, let me _protect _you."

V

Hiei felt her relax in his hold. Her back was no longer straight as her head bowed. He released her and backed away, turning and jumping over the counter again.

"Hie- uh... Mr. Jaganshi?"

He looked over his shoulder.

"Hn?"

The assistant tried to smile. She really did.

"T-thank you."

He glared, but not at her.

"Thank Yukina, onna." His piercing eyes met hers. "I did nothing."

He sat down in his chair, still in nothing but his boxers. He watched as the assistant massage her shoulders, getting to her feet and going back to Hiei's bed. _I need a vacation._

Hiei opened the refrigerator and poured himself some milk. He sipped it, savoring its chill. _Mukuro... you've lost it. _He should have killed her when he had the chance. The Boss looked over his new Solider. Just nineteen years old. _Jin... you're so young to be involved with us. _The Irishman was just a kid.

Then there was Kurama. The infamous Doctor Kurama Shuiichi. Hiei's closest, most dear friend. Hiei smirked as he remembered when he first met the good doctor. His hair had been shorter then. The police knew it was him when they found the body. A simple DNA test shows all.

_Wonderful man. Smart. So much talent. _Hiei allowed himself to scowl. _Figures that this own teachers, his mentors were the one that destroyed him. _

Then there was Yusuke.

Hiei almost killed him. The Boss felt his muscles contract at the memory. He had been angry. His trust with Yusuke had almost run out. He had pressed a gun to his forehead.

Hiei closed his eyes.

_That was the first time I had ever said I was sorry._

His men. His friends. They were some of the best souls on Earth. Great men. Hiei's eyes drifted to his room. Where the onna was hopefully asleep.

He was a bit astonished at her spirit. _A bit stronger than I had first thought. _She wanted to leave. She wanted to _die _for men she had only met about a month ago. She called herself worthless.

Hiei almost rolled his eyes.

_Resilience like that is **never **worthless. _

Hiei Jaganshi sighed as he picked himself up. He drifted back to the couch. He pulled a thin sheet over himself and closed his eyes. _After all this blows over... I'm going to Bora Bora. _

VI

"_Don't talk. Just follow me."_

_The little girl nodded and followed as the boy opened up an alley door. Yellow light poured out, and soon, the door closed. The alley was empty._

_The girl's eyes widened. She found herself in a kitchen. A restaurant's kitchen. The tile was sticky as she walked in her shiny black shoes. The cook turned to the boy._

"_Who's that, little man? Hot date?"_

_The little boy, a late five year old, scowled. _

"_Can it, old man."_

_The cook smiled, shaking his head. The girl blushed, embarrassed. She was shy. The boy pulled her, and they drifted in and out of buildings. From alley to alley. It was quite a sight. A ratty, dirty boy with his female companion. Her ears were pierced, diamond studs in them. Her coat was of a fine material. _

_Not just some ordinary little girl._

"_Hurry up."_

_The girl picked up the pace, her lips tight. She kept on biting them. Even now... he could not see her face. His memories failed him. _

_The two traveled. It was dark when they finally arrived to their destination. The boy ran his fingers through his black hair as the two children stared up the building. A hotel. A fancy hotel._

"_Is this it?"_

_The girl sniffed. She almost cried. _

"_Y-yes... b-but..."_

_The boy almost let out a cry of defeat. He could have stolen so many more purses by now! _

"_But **what**?" The little girl flinched and started to cry. Her eyes were closed so the boy rolled his eyes. He could not work with her if she was emotionally distressed. He looked around, lowering his voice. "Look...I'm sorry. It's been a long day..." She was still crying, her mittens covering her eyes. "Please..." He lowered his voice even lower, his face heating up. "Please stop crying. We'll find them. Just tell me, and we can do it."_

_He was well educated for such a runt. The girl hiccuped. _

"_I-I don't k-know what room w-we're staying i-i-in."_

_The boy nodded, blowing into his hands._

"_As soon as you stop crying, we can go inside." The boy's eyes narrowed, and the girl tilted her head to the side. She saw that he had a plan. "Wait... cry harder."_

_The woman in the front desk saw two little kids walk in. The girl was in hysterics, her stomach heaving wildly. Guests were staring at her, trying to ignore her. She was a situation that had to be taken care of. Now._

"_Oh my, little girl, what's wrong?"_

_Her lipstick was on thick, her teeth white. The boy who was holding her hand stuck his chin out._

"_My sister and I are lost. Our parents are staying here."_

_His voice was very edgy. The little girl spoke._

"_My D-dad... h-he's really tall... like... huge... and he has bushy h-hair and... r-r-really b-b-big hands..."_

_The woman frowned. _

"_I need a name, sweetie." The little girl said his name. The name of her Uncle. The woman's eyes widened. The boy didn't like the look. He didn't want to be seen by this man. "Oh! Oh, well, I'll give the room number, I'll walk you up if you wa–"_

"_No." The boy spoke up. "I've got it."_

_They were given the number. Floor Six. Top floor. Room 317. Presidential Suite. The two took an elevator, some other people turning up their noses at the sight of the boy. The girl didn't notice. Her tears were gone once they stepped inside the contraption._

_They walked out together. The boy led her to her room. The two children were standing in front of the door. The boy shoved his hands in his pockets. _

"_This is it."_

_The girl blinked. As if she couldn't believe her eyes. _

"_Wow." A grin, the first grin he had ever seen her wear, spread across her face. She turned to the boy, who was emotionless. "Thank you!"_

_With that, she launched at him, her arms wrapping around his body. Hugging him._

VII

Mukuro had to be carried into her flat. Her eye rolled into the back of her skull, ridiculous strands of words tumbling out of her lips. Her arms hung loosely at her sides. The long scratches trailing up and down them. Part of them were from razors. The other... syringes.

_I'm coming to get you, Hiei._

Her mind was the only place where she could form sensible thoughts. Her eye sparked.

**_Come out, come out wherever you are..._**

VIII

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please, review. I really liked this chapter, and there will be more flashbacks and action in the next chapter. It would be wonderful for you to leave a comment! Woot! Peace out!


	8. Dead Detective

Three Families : Dead Detective

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I thought I would have gotten more though, but whatever. This chapter is going to have more flashbacks combined with action. Ooooh! The action! Okay, so please read, and when your done, I'd love to know what you thought, so review!

I

Yusuke opened his eyes. He rolled over and checked his watch, his eyes narrowing.

_One in the afternoon? Why the hell didn't I wake up?_ The Advisor blinked, rubbing his brown eyes as he looked around the penthouse. _Hiei must have been up earlier. _He looked back at his sleeping Boss, his black hair falling in front of the Advisor's face. _He shut all the blinds so we could sleep in._

The Advisor stretched as he gazed at Kurama, and his eyes slowly slid to Jin. The boy's eyes were swollen. He must have cried in his sleep. Yusuke shook his head as he walked over to the kitchen, trying to swallow the rock in his throat.

_Dammit, Chuu. _The Advisor pulled a cigarette out of his pocket in a religiously practiced move. Flipping open his lighter, he puffed out a cloud of smoke. The first instinct was to cry. To cry quietly. _No. I don't cry. I can't cry. _

Yusuke Urameshi tried to enjoy the nicotine, but he found that it was tasteless. His brown eyes closed slowly. _It was shit like this that I didn't like. It was shit like this that I tried to stay away from!_

His shoulders were rising as he tried to recall the days were he was a normal citizen. Just your run of the mill guy. Yusuke couldn't remember.

_Christ... if Keiko were to find out..._

His brown eyes suddenly watered. He looked at his left hand, allowing some tears to fall as he gazed at his wedding ring. He wiped his eyes just as he felt a hand brush his shoulder.

"Morning, Yusuke."

Yusuke had to bite down the adrenalin.

"Jesus, Kurama." He glared at the Second in Command. "You scared the living daylights out of me!"

They spoke in whispers, both of them with circles under their eyes.

"What do you think the police are doing?" Yusuke's narrowed a bit. "You _are _a policeman, are you not?"

The Advisor slumped over, his head bowed.

"I haven't had a badge for years, Kurama."

The doctor shrugged.

"Yeah, but you know the system, _Detective Urameshi_."

Yusuke had a humorless smirk on his face.

"Well, if I know the force and their mechanisms..." He took a long drag on his cigarette. "They're still confused. The paper will speak of the Three Families." Another drag. "They won't mention me, though. Don't worry."

Kurama raised a red eyebrow.

"How do you know that?"

Yusuke's eyes were distant as his mouth opened.

"They don't like to put the spotlight on a disgrace. Especially a disgrace that worked for them."

II

"_So, what do you have for me, Urameshi?"_

_An overweight man was reading a newspaper as he spoke. The young, leaner man who was leaning against the wall took out a cigarette. The young man's brown eyes were steely._

"_I got nothin'."_

_The Chief straightened his back, his eyes narrowing. _

"_Nothing?" The Detective didn't meet his eyes. "You can't tell me you didn't get a **single **_**fucking _thing_**_!"_

_Urameshi let his eyes slide away._

"_They don't tell me anything. I'm not close to Jaganshi."_

_His Chief grabbed him roughly by the shoulders. _

"_I've seen you! I know you! You're his buddy, asshole! Tell me what the fuck he is going to do!"_

_Spit hit Yusuke's face. Wiping it off, he shoved his hands into his pockets. _

"_Whatever. I don't know anything."_

_The Chief was furious, his face beet red. _

"_Come back here! **Don't you walk away from me**!"_

_Urameshi disappeared into the crowd, leaving the Chief of Police enraged and a little bit confused._

_Later..._

_Yusuke stopped by at the station and turned in his badge, just leaving it hanging on the door. He closed his eyes, thinking, "Do I really want to do this?"._

_Yes. Yes he did. Yusuke sighed and turned, his back forever facing his former workplace. He traveled back to an old warehouse, getting a text-message from the infamous Doctor Kurama Shuiichi_. _It was another fact that he never told his Chief. He never told him that Kurama was still alive and kicking, that it wasn't just a simple grave robbery._

_Opening the door, Yusuke looked around. Kurama stared at him, smiling a little. That was when he felt something hit him on the back of his head. Hard. Eyes rolling into the back of his skull, Detective Urameshi passed out. _

_Fuzz. That was fist thing that Yusuke thought about. Fuzz. His eyes opened to see a puddle. He was sitting in an uncomfortable wooden chair. He straightened his back. That was when he realized that he was tied, his hands behind his back and his ankles to the legs of the chair. _

"_Detective Urameshi."_

_Yusuke's heart was pounding, almost exploding in his rib cage. He knew that voice! He had heard it millions of times. At first he had feared it, hated it. Loathed it. Then he grew to have a grudging respect. It grew to the strong bond of friendship. A brotherly love._

"_Oh shit... oh shit..."_

_Yusuke Urameshi had never been so scared in his entire life. He was a cop. A good guy. But not anymore. He left that behind just a few hours ago. His chin was grabbed, being forced to look up into those blazing red eyes. _

"_You **fucking **lied to me!" A strong backhanded slap. "I thought you were a good man!"_

_Another slap. Yusuke's eyes were still unfocused. All he saw were those blood red eyes. _

"_H-Hiei... I swear to you... I left... I left..."_

"_**SHUT UP**!" A hard punch pummeled his face, leaving a welt that made his eye swollen. "What have you been telling them?" Yusuke's head rolled, his good eye staring up at his Boss. "You are going to tell me. You are going to tell me, or I will make you tell me, understand, **Detective**?"_

_Yusuke was punched again. Spitting out blood, he opened his mouth, his throat dry and hoarse. _

"_I... I turned in my badge, Hiei... I swear." His good eye watered. "I didn't tell them anything..." _

_Hiei pulled out a straight razor. _

"_You lied to me once." It shined dangerously in the little light that there was. His eyes never left the Detective's. "I'm going to start with your little finger." He slashed at the air, his face still emotionless. "Then I will take a thumb."_

_Detective Urameshi was crying now. _

"_P-please... I have a wife... a wife..."_

_Hiei didn't even bat an eye. _

"_Would you rather have me kill her? To make her scream until you tell me the truth?"_

_Yusuke made a sound that not even an animal could produce. He writhed in the chair, his swollen and beaten face twisted in grief. His chest was heaving, his lean body shaking. _

_Hiei touched the Detective's left hand. That was when he heard a soft voice. _

"_Stop."_

_Yusuke couldn't see him, but he heard Kurama. _

"_Kurama, please! Please... God... help me!"_

_The Doctor ignored him. _

"_Hiei... there is another way we can do this." _

_Yusuke's hand was released. _

"_Yeah? What is it?"_

_A whisper of cloth told the Detective that Kurama smoothed out his clothes. _

"_If you torture this policeman long enough, he will tell you that he was responsible for 9-11. You need a more solid approach." Kurama felt around in his pockets. "Try this. Let me give him a dose of this, and he won't be able to hide anything from us."_

_Hiei took a few deep breaths, calming himself. Yusuke recognized that breathing. Those fast inhales and exhales. He had stood beside him when Hiei Jaganshi had taken enemy cops or other Soldiers from the other Families. It was that homicidal rage that flowed throughout the Boss. That thrill... that **rush**... _

"_Fine. Just make it quick."_

_Hiei walked back, leaning against the wall, glaring at the Detective. _

"_Thank you, Hiei."_

_Hiei grunted, still trying to dull down the adrenalin. Yusuke stared at him, tears still sliding down his face. Hiei was not out of control when he had to get his job done. The first time that Yusuke had witnessed Hiei murder a man was his first day undercover. He had hated Hiei for it, thinking that he was an animal. A Beast. _

_But later, he learned that not all killers were maniacs. He learned that Hiei visited the Library a lot to see a woman named Yukina. Yusuke did a look up on her, and was a bit astonished at what he found. _

_She was an orphan, her mother or father unknown. She was brought there, by what seemed to be her own intentions, but when asked, the records showed that she claimed to have been brought by a boy._

_Yusuke had no idea. He thought that Hiei was in love with this Yukina... but how wrong he had been. He had discovered, or rather, Hiei **told **him one night just **why **he saw her so much. Just why he protected her from knowing who he really was. _

_That was when Yusuke knew that Hiei had pride. Dignity. Honor. That was when the Detective respected the murdering Boss._

"_Yusuke, I want you to relax."_

_Detective Urameshi coughed out a laugh._

"_Easy... f-for y-you to say."_

_Kurama chuckled lightly, his smooth voice soothing Yusuke's nerves. He felt a needle slide into his arm. _

_It was one week ago that everything changed for the Detective. Hiei was walking with him, it was about ten o'clock at night, and they were heading back to Hiei's penthouse. It was ordinary, Yusuke just talking with the Boss about mundane, everyday stuff_.

_That was when they heard a child crying. Hiei stopped Yusuke from talking, raising his hand. Yusuke saw a look on Hiei's face that he hadn't seen him wear before. Hiei scanned the area and found the child. _

_It was a little girl. She had long black hair, and she had to be about eight. _

"_**What is your name?"**_

_You could tell by the way she was hiccuping that she was ashamed of being so weak. Hiei walked up to her, Yusuke following. She was in a school uniform._

"_**My name... is Yusuke Urameshi."**_

_Hiei didn't touch her. He just shushed her. Her eyes snapped open and she backed away from him. She was worried that they were the 'bad men' that she heard about on the news. The kind that kidnap pretty little girls like her. She began to cry harder. _

"_**Are you an undercover cop?"**_

_Hiei made no move to touch her or be closer to her. He calmly stated the truth. He told her that he knew why she was scared of him. He lifted up the sleeve of his shirt. A black tattoo of a dragon twisted up his arm. _

"_**It's called an undercover detective."**_

_The girl stared at the tattoo, her sobs quieting. Yusuke was wide eyed. Hiei nodded slowly, smiling as he said that she must know what this mark meant. She told him that he had to be a part of the Jaganshi Family. Hiei actually laughed. _

_He told her that he was the Boss of the whole thing. She frowned, her shoulders rising, but she didn't back away._

"_**What have you told your Chief?"**_

_Yusuke could only watch as Hiei still spoke, his cold tenor voice soft, gentle. He said that members of the Jaganshi Family all swear under a blood oath to follow his code. That if one of them broke the code, well they were done with. Hiei asked her if she had heard about his Family on the news. She said that she did._

_Hiei smiled warmly. He asked her if she had heard the spots were pedophiles were found, dead with the Jaganshi mark left behind. Rapists. Sex maniacs. He told her the truth. He said that men like that were dirty and low, that he had his Soldiers take care of men like that. _

"_**I told him that I'm inside... I told him the Jaganshi code... I told him my position as Consigliere**_**._"_**

_He told her that he wanted to help her, if she would just tell him what was wrong. She told him that she got off the bus at the wrong stop, and that she didn't know where she was. She gave him her address, and Hiei frowned for a bit, thinking. _

_He told her he could take her to the apartment where her parents lived. He told her that Yusuke was one of his top men, and that he would protect them as they walked the streets. He held her hand as they walked. Actually, she was the one who slipped her hand into Hiei's._

"_**Have you told him plans, plans of where we are stationed, of what we are going to do?"**_

_It took them forty minutes to get to the apartment. The three of them were in the elevator, the strange group, and when the doors opened, the little girl ran to her door, knocking on it. _

_When the door was opened, she was grabbed by her mother. Her mother was sobbing, crying, saying that she almost called the police to help find her. That was when her eyes landed on the two men. The little girl, whom Hiei and Yusuke had learned that her name was Sarah, pointed to them and said they brought her home._

"_**No."**_

_They were invited inside, and against Hiei's polite decline, they were given dinner. Yusuke could tell that the Boss was a bit uncomfortable, sitting in an innocent civilian's house. The mother sent Sarah to bed, when she came back, she bit her lip. _

_She was began to cry, very controlled, but tears still fell. She asked, why? Why help a little girl when it was none of your business to do anything? She was rubbing at her eyes. She told the two men that she knew who they were. She saw the tattoos on their arms when she had given them tea, when Yusuke had reached to the pot, his sleeve falling back just far enough for her to see the mark. _

"_**Are you still loyal to the police, Yusuke?"**_

_Hiei bristled. He said that a child, an innocent civilian, was to be protected by his Family. It was his life code. He told her that if she wished to call the police, she could. He did warn her that they would not be caught and perhaps she might be hurt in the process. He did reassure her that it was not a threat. _

_She waved off the statement. She told them that she could never call the police on the men that gave her back her daughter. Yusuke saw her wipe her eyes as she thanked them. She led them to the door, and before they left, she asked them one last question. _

"_**I'm not."**_

_She asked why Hiei found that it was his responsibility to protect innocent people. He was silent for a moment. He locked eyes with hers. He did not smile. He hadn't shown any emotion to Sarah's mother. With his icy tenor voice, he told her that innocent people deserved their ignorance. He said that his Family didn't play Hero. They did not go to stop crimes against humanity. _

_He did, however, say that when someone was in danger and they were there to witness it, a Jaganshi member will do all in their power to end it. He said that he was not a do-gooder. He found it useless. He smirked. _

_He said that maybe Sarah would be a drug addict one day. Or that perhaps she would be the first female President of the United States. He said he didn't know, nor did he make it his goal to care. _

"_**Why?"**_

_Her face fell. She didn't know whether to find this noble or rude. He said that he would not have Sarah watched, that she was not considered special now. He said it was pure chance that they stumbled onto her dilemma. _

_Yusuke raised his eyebrows at his Boss. The mother said that whether it was fate or his code, she was grateful. She wished them both good health and long lives._

"_**This... this Family is more noble... more useful then the police force."** Yusuke blinked. **"I wanted to... to be a part of the Jaganshi Family for real... I turned in my badge today. I am no longer a policeman."** A pause for breath. **"Hiei... I want to serve you. Please..."**_

_Yusuke let his head roll downward so his chin touched his chest. His thoughts were done, and all he could do was feel the present. He heard the ring of metal. Hiei's sword. He closed his eye, waiting for death. _

_In two slices, his hands and legs were released, he fell forward, into the arms of Hiei Jaganshi. He was breathing against the shorter man's neck and Hiei lifted him so that Kurama could support him. _

"_I'm... sorry." Yusuke could not believe his beaten ears. Hiei apologized? "I will not let you serve me, Yusuke." The Detective almost cried again. "But I will let you work beside me. With me."_

III

Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama, Jin, and Botan were all sitting at the counter of the penthouse eating Chinese takeout. They had said some words on Chuu and his death. The Boss spoke quietly. He said he didn't know if his own penthouse was completely safe, seeing as Mukuro had been to it many times in the past. It was December twentieth. At the table, they heard a ring.

The assistant frowned as she excused herself. As it turns out, she had a cell phone. Hiei stood and leaned against the inside of his door to his bedroom. She talked in a low voice, her entire body position saying that she was not happy.

When she shut the phone, Hiei spoke up.

"Who was that, onna?"

She sighed.

"My Aunt." Hiei raised his eyebrows. "She... she is expecting me to show up at her house on Christmas Eve. It's a family tradition."

The Boss crossed his arms.

"She doesn't know that your apartment blew up? It was on the news!"

Her pink eyes were not dazzling as usual.

"They do not care about me." She lowered her eyes. "The only reason I am invited is because I share their blood. Other than that, I am a disgrace to them."

Hiei frowned and they stepped back into the kitchen. He told them about the new situation. He turned to the assistant.

"We can't let you go."

She stood her ground.

"I **have **to go!"

His eyes were narrow as he gritted his teeth.

"**Why**?"

Botan narrowed her eyes.

"I just have to. I can't miss this, and I _know _that it's bad, considering my new situation, but you have to trust me when I say that the fact that I am at this gathering is of _great importance_."

The room was silent. Hiei frowned.

"We all have to go with you."

Botan didn't speak right away.

"That's fine. Can I say that you are my friends?"

The group nodded, Hiei reluctantly subjecting to her will. They had only three days to prepare. And the clock was ticking. Botan said they would have to leave tomorrow night, seeing as her Aunt lived in a rural part of New Jersey. Hiei shook his head.

"We leave tonight. We are taking three cars. Yusuke, you ride with Kurama. Jin, you take a car alone." He gazed at the assistant. "You will ride with me."

She nodded, biting her lower lip.

"Okay. Let's go."

IV

A/N: Oh my God! You guys are so going to LOVE the next few chapters! Review if you want me to continue, because baby I am on a roll! Did you like Yusuke's past? Do you like this new predicament? Please tell me if you do or don't. Do you hate my writing style, or do you love it? I would love to know.

-mia

p.s. Were the flashbacks in the flashback too confusing? If you have a question about that, please, just leave it in a review or a private message, whatever you prefer and I will answer it. Thanks.

P.s.s. I hope the cursing didn't offend you. It was kind of needed. I try not to use curse words in writing or in speech abundantly when they aren't needed. I thought they brought more reality to the situation, if this upset you, message me because I would like to know. Thanks again.


	9. Forbidden Hotel Room

Three Families : Forbidden Hotel Room

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Keep on leaving them! I even got my friend, who doesn't even watch the show, to read it! Boo ya! Hahahha. Um, there may be a little bit of flashback in this chapter. Nothing major... I think. Read and Review please!

I

Hiei opened the door for the assistant. It struck her as odd, the Boss of the Jaganshi Family being polite. She slipped inside the car, watching Hiei make his way around to the drivers side. His ruby red eyes were shimmering in the moonlight as he started the car.

"Can you direct me to the house?"

Botan nodded, her eyes on the road.

"Sure, but we're not going to my Aunt's."

Hiei raised an eyebrow, glancing at the assistant out of the corner of his big eyes.

"We're not?"

She turned to him. There was **_something _**in her eyes that made him question just how _truly _innocent she was.

"No. I've got a place, a hotel room." He nodded, silently demanding for her to elaborate. "It's always under my name. We'll be able to stay there for a few days. Just up to when the gathering at my Aunt's happens."

The ride was silent. On the highway, two other cars were on either side of them. Yusuke and Kurama, and then Jin. They were silent for a bit.

"Do you believe in karma?"

Botan blinked.

"W-what?"

Hiei grumbled angrily, not happy that he had to repeat himself.

"I said, do you believe in karma?"

The assistant chewed her lower lip as she looked at the ceiling in thought.

"Karma?" She licked her lips. "Karma's a funny thing." A sigh left her mouth. "It seems that if you earn _bad _karma... you never stop paying for it." Her eyes met his for a bit. "And when you get _good _karma... it never really gets... acknowledged."

The wheels of the car whirred on the asphalt. It was lulling the assitant's eyes slowly shut.

"So dark... for... your annoying happy-go-lucky persona."

Botan slouched in her seat, trying to get comfortable.

"It's not _dark!_" Even though she was a bit angry, she couldn't help but smile. "It's being realistic."

"Hn. Whatever."

She turned and let down her hair.

"What about you?" Botan ran her fingers through her hair, smoothing it out. "Do you believe in karma?"

The assistant pointed to an exit, and Hiei turned on the blinker.

"No, I don't."

Botan's voice was hoarse.

"Why not?"

He watched the rearview mirror to make sure that the rest of the crew were following him. They were.

"Because." He sped forward. "In my life, all I've ever seen is bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people." The car was shooting down the dead roads. "When that's fair, I'll believe in karma." Botan was speechless. "Until then, karma is an excuse for dreamers." A sharp turn. "**_I'm _**being realistic."

II

_The boy tensed up immediately. He was not used to physical contact unless he was getting his face beaten into the pavement. He pushed the girl off of him. _

"_What the **hell **are you doing?"_

_She blinked._

"_You... you saved me... you lied for me... a complete stranger." She wrung her hands even though they were covered with mittens. "I want to thank you."_

_The little boy was getting uneasy even though he had two hundred dollars from the days work. He was not used to... socializing. _

"_F-fine. Just... just make it quick so I can go."_

_She nodded and before the thief could prepare himself, two warm and slightly damp lips were pressed against his cheek. Before that... he had never been kissed in any fashion. He was paralyzed with the compassionate and overall kind action. She pulled back and saw his startled expression. _

"_What?"_

_The silence was long. The two children just stared at each other. If only they knew. If only they knew just how **different **they really were. _

_But that didn't matter. Back then, they were both as innocent as they could be. The little boy knowing nothing of death and the true harshness of society. He was just a pick-pocket. The little girl... was just a little girl. She liked teddy bears with red bows tied around their necks. She wasn't a fan of having her hair combed, but she did like it when her mother let her wear it down. _

"_Why?" His hands brushed over his cheek. "Why did you do that?"_

_Her brow was furrowed. On her neck was a silver chain. The boy had to squint to see that it was a cross. _

"_It's how my family says thank you to 'those who are worthy'."_

_The boy could have left then, without asking any questions or completing his actions. But there was something in her eyes that told him to stay. Just a little longer._

"_Your family... are they nice people?"_

_The girl gave him a kind of half shrug, her smile fading a bit. _

"_They're alright. My mom loves me, but my Aunt and Uncle... they **love **me, but I don't think they **like **me." The thief let himself drift into silence. "What about you?" He looked up. "What about your family?"_

_His answer was short and cold._

"_I don't have a family."_

III

Yusuke stopped the car outside of the Hilton hotel. Kurama got out, stretching his legs. The Advisor was the second to get out, pulling out a cigarette, giving it a puff. He saw Jin roll up, pulling into a parking space. It was more like two parking spaces because he was so worked up he didn't really care about the neatness of the job.

The two men watched as Jin literally hopped out of the car while it was still moving. He quickly jumped back in the car and shut if off. He finally ended up with Yusuke and Kurama, his face red as he caught his breath.

"Why are we here?" A gasp for oxygen. "Did...?" Another gasp. "Did something go wrong?"

The Second in Command frowned as he gazed over at the car that held Hiei and Botan.

"We don't know. They haven't come out yet."

That was when a door opened and Botan stepped out. She waited for Hiei to open his door, and the two approached the rest of the group. She was smiling, and Yusuke could tell she had been asleep just seconds before. That was why they took along time to get out of the car. Hiei must have not wanted to wake her up.

"Hi." She swallowed a yawn. "I... I've got a room on constant reserve here. Just wait here, and I'll get us in, okay?"

Yusuke nodded and Kurama followed suit quickly. Jin was still catching his breath. Botan smiled as she spun around and jogged to the entrance.

As soon as her back was turned to them, her smile vanished. _The butterflies are back. _Her stomach was twisting itself in knots. A part of her wanted to go in. To do what she had to do. To say those magic words.

A bigger part of her, an older and more aware part of her, was terrified.

_It's okay. It's okay. You're alone. No one is around. Just you. _She shook out her arms. _Just you. Everything is okay. _A deep breath was taken. _Just those words. Those magic words. _She pushed open glass doors and approached the desk. The woman at the front looked up, and her eyes widened. She obviously remembered last year. _It looks like... I don't need those magic words._

When the assistant came back out, she was more awake.

"Okay, everything checks out. Let's go!"

She hoped that they didn't see her shivering. They followed her and up they went in the elevator. Right up to the Presidential Suite.

Yusuke felt his hazel eyes widen.

"You reserve the _Presidential Suite_?"

Hiei crossed his arms.

"Look, no offense, but how can Librarian's assistant afford this... **year round**?"

Botan slipped the card into the card key. It turned green and she opened the door.

IV

The Boss glared into the room. It was... really nice. The room was huge... and the sheets on the bed felt like water. Jin and the others walked in with their mouths open. Hiei just had his arms crossed as he lifted up his nose.

"I think I have a spare bed and a pullout mattress in the couch." She yawned and flopped onto the bed. "I've... I've got breakfast coming in the morning..."

She fell asleep without even taking off her shoes. Kurama smiled as he found the couch, pulling out the mattress. Yusuke found the bed and it was single. Hiei got the single bed. The three men had to squeeze onto one mattress.

Hiei stayed up, and when everyone was unconscious, he went to Botan's bed. He untied her shoes, letting them drop to the floor. She didn't even flinch. The Boss smirked as he pulled the covers straight out from under her. In one pull, the assistant was tucked into bed.

Hiei stepped backwards, falling onto the single bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

He stirred when he heard a knock on the door. He groaned and turned over, his shoulders up to his ears as he tried to block out the noise. A louder pounding was his answer.

"Go... away..."

_Knock. Knock._

"Room service! Your breakfast is ready, ma'am."

"I said... **_go... away!_**"

**_Knock! Knock! Knock!_**

"Please, it's our chef's best!"

Hiei grumbled as he lifted himself out of bed. He walked over to the door, still growling as he opened it.

"You _called_?"

The delivery boy stared at the Boss with wide eyes. Hiei managed to hide his arm by leaning on it. That was when Hiei remembered that he forgot to put something over his black boxers.

"Y-yes... Ms. Botan's breakfast is ready." The boy peered in the room, seeing all the other occupants. "I see why so much food was requested."

Hiei managed to crack a pained smile as he brought the cart of food inside. The wheels were squeaky and it hurt his ears in the early morning. His men were instantly awake with the smell of food. Yusuke opened his eyes to see Hiei pulling on his shirt and pants, but he was soon distracted by the food.

Jin rubbed his eyes as Kurama pushed himself up onto his stomach. Hiei saw that there were three main platters. His face was still cool as ice as he lifted one of the tops to the platters.

Pancakes. Hiei quickly lifted up the other tops to see scrambled eggs, potatoes, and toast. Even **_he _**had to admit that it did smell good. Jin and Yusuke started to fight for a plate, Kurama slipping past them and beginning to feast upon the food.

Botan woke up to see Jin smearing ketchup on the Advisor's face, who in turn was running maple syrup through the Irishman's red hair. She brought the sheets up to her chin. All she could do was watch and giggle herself awake. That was when she realized at the Boss was sitting on her bed.

"It's sad..." His eyes were watching Kurama and Jin laugh as they wrestled together on the ground. "These men have killed before... that is why they are with me... and yet they still eat breakfast like two year olds." He chewed slowly on a pancake. His head rolled back so he could see her. "You still haven't explained how _you _can afford **_this_**."

Botan smiled.

"I can get by."

"Hn." He took another bite of his egg. "You say that now."

V

Mukuro woke up slowly. Her eye was still adjusting to the focus as she called her Soldiers into the room.

"Where is he?" She stood, and they had to catch her as she lost her balance. "**_Where's Hiei?_**"

One of the men grunted as he supported her.

"He went to New Jersey."

The Boss of the Makai family rolled her eye as she turned on the television. It was on CNN, and to her astonishment, she saw that woman... the blue haired woman. The Boss felt the thrill of the kill rising and rising.

"Would you look at that!" She laughed. "She's going to be fun to kill!"

The Soldiers were wide eyed as they watched the screen. They were silent as they looked at each other, a fear eating away at their very souls. Sure, they were killers. They were ruthless when they _had _to be.

But as they watched the screen, they felt their insides turn into cold spaghetti.

Their eyes told each other that they _could not _and _would not _kill that woman. If they did, God knows what would happen!

A shiver passed through them.

It could even start World War III.

VI

The members of the Jaganshi Family stayed at the hotel for as long as they were needed to. It was about four o'clock on Christmas Eve and Botan opened a big cabinet.

Hiei saw very nice dresses inside. The clothes that he had bought her were nothing compared to what lay inside that closet. She pushed dresses aside and the team saw tuxedos. Just enough for all of them.

"Here." Botan took them out, and she looked at Hiei. "Put these on, I can fix them up later."

Hiei looked at Kurama, who raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you want us to wear this, onna?"

Botan was holding a necklace in her mouth as she dug around on the bottom of the closet.

"Because..." She opened a hidden compartment at the bottom. "You are going to be my guests."

Yusuke coughed on the beer that he was drinking.

"_Guests?_ How are you going to pass **_us _**off as _guests?_"

The assistant's pink eyes were hooded slightly.

"My word _is _substantial enough!" The four men just stared intensely into her eyes. "And you get... these!"

She took out a box. Opening it, she showed them pins. College pins. They were the size of a pea, but they held the brand of Harvard. Princeton. Rutgers. The Second in Command rose a red eyebrow.

"These are going to pass us off as normal?"

Botan smiled.

"Sure." She winked. "They'll get you past security."

Hiei blinked.

"**_Security?_**"

VII

"_What do you mean? Everyone has a family."_

_The boy glared at the little girl._

"_Well I **don't**."_

_They were both quiet. That was when the girl spoke, her voice so soft and unsure, it was cute. _

"_Um... what's your name?" The boy looked up at her, not speaking. "I... I would like to know the name of... of the boy that... kind of... saved my life."_

_For such a small girl, she was very fluent in English. Her words just came naturally. The boy had his hands in his pockets, and his hands twitched. _

"_Fine, but only if you do one thing."_

_The small girl narrowed her eyes. _

"_What is it?"_

_His lips were turned downwards in an icy frown. Her lips were being chewed on. _

"_You have to... tell me yours... but in turn..."_

_The girl bounced. _

"_What? What do I have to do?"_

_Their eyes locked. _

"_Let me... let me... return the gesture so we're even, okay?"_

_The little girl was not entirely sure about what the boy was talking about. She nodded. _

"_Okay."_

_The little boy had been hoping that she refused. For the first time, he blushed, trying to psyche himself out. But it was already decided. He had to do it. So she had nothing on him. So he would not be in debt to her. _

_His small hand reached up to her face. The girl was still, not knowing what to expect. She allowed herself to think about how dry and coarse his hands were for such a young boy. _

"_Thank you for... thanking me." He had to stand up on his toes and lean forward, and he covered her lips with his. It wasn't romantic. They were young. Too young. It was innocent. Pure. Something completely different. He felt that her face was warm. He talked against her lips. "My name is Hiei Jaganshi."_

_He pulled back. Her eyes were wide, but she was not angry. She still stood up straight. She still had her one hand on the door. Her blood was still important. _

"_Hiei..."_

_Hiei the thief turned and began to walk away. The girl was still outside the hotel door. He spoke to her without turning to look at her. _

"_Aren't you going to go in now?"_

_Her eyes... they were... a mixture of many things. Sadness was one emotion shimmering through. But the other... it was more carnal. It felt as if... some kind of... tie or bond had formed... _

"_Wait! Hiei, wait!"_

_This time the pickpocket turned. _

"_What?"_

_She was still intimidated by his unemotional front. _

"_I-I... my name is... Botan." She curtsied. "Have a good life."_

_Hiei gave a curt nod and was walking swiftly down the hallway again. Botan stared after him, but soon realized she should knock on the door. Her knuckles rapped against the wood. Behind that door lay her Aunt, Uncle, and their young son. Behind that door was a world that Hiei the thief couldn't possibly imagine. Behind that door, Botan was different. Not in looks or personality. But in value. In **true **responsibility and destiny._

VIII

A/N: I'll be frank, I LOVED all the reviews I got last chapter. If you want the Christmas Eve bash, the new romance, and the BIGGEST TWIST IN FANFICTION HISTORY... then I would review (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). Hahha. I would really like to know what you think on his one. I worked hard, and obviously I have no life because I work so hard on it. Lol. Please Review! Really, I want to continue, and reviews make things go faster lol. They make me happy. Woot!


	10. Majesty

Three Families : Majesty

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! Keep on leaving them! _**Trust me, **_you will want more hahaha. Just kidding... well... not really. Hahhaa. Please, just read and review! You know I love it when you do!

I

Botan was in the bathroom, getting changed. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her blue hair was down and she had styled it _just right _so it seemed to float around her. She smiled slightly as she put in diamond earrings. A silver chain hung around her neck. She stepped back.

Her dress was long, but a nice cut was up the side to mid thigh. The assistant applied some lipstick and eye shadow. Then the mascara. Her movements were precise and practiced. When she was done, she sighed and tried to fight down the tremors in her hands and stomach.

_This is it. _Her pink eyes were flickering with fear. _You can do it. _She curtsied and smiled. _You were __**trained **__to do this. You were __**created **__to do this. _

She opened the door and stepped out into the hotel room. She heard a small gasp, and her eyes found the source immediately. She giggled at the Irishman, who was currently turning purple with embarrassment. Kurama kissed her hand.

"You look stunning."

Botan rolled her eyes.

"Thanks, but please. There are much better out there."

This took the doctor aback, but he kept his surprise in his own mind. Didn't she know her own beauty?

Hiei just glared at her, as usual, while he tugged at his tuxedo with a Princeton pin over his heart. He crossed his arms finally and licked his lips.

"Are we going, or what?"

Botan nodded and wrung her hands.

"Yes." She closed her eyes for a moment, deep in thought. When she opened them, she was ready for it. "Let's go."

"Hn."

II

When the woman stepped out of the bathroom, Hiei felt his throat run dry. Her dress was a V cut, and it revealed her legs if she walked a certain way. Her hair was down... and she did _something _to it that made her look like she had just descended from Heaven. As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Hiei crossed his arms, ceasing his fuss with his clothes.

She had on heels, and this made her even taller than she already was. As she left the elevator and walked in the lobby, the employees were lined up. They said nothing but bowed their heads ever so slightly.

_What is this, a parade?_

He opened the car door for her, glancing over his shoulder to see the manager of the hotel holding a girl who seemed to have fainted. He closed the door with a swift flick of his arm. By her startled face, he realized that he slammed it. _Damn... I'm not used to not having my jacket on._

He slipped into the car and got onto the highway, Kurama, Yusuke, and Jin behind him. The Boss cleared his throat.

"Are you ready to tell me just _how _you are able to afford those clothes and that room?"

His voice was cold as he kept his eyes on the road.

"No." She tucked some blue hair behind her ear. "Later. I need all of you to be with me... and that will only be when we're at my Aunt's house." She paused. "Turn here."

The Boss pulled at the wheel.

"Are you scared?"

His voice was still even throughout it all.

"No. I've gotten this far, and all of you are here to protect me–"

"I didn't mean that." He glanced into the mirror so he could see the other cars. "Your hands are shaking."

Botan squeaked a little as she quickly put her hands on her lap, fighting for them to stay still.

"I-I'm j-just a little n-nervous."

Hiei was silent. The ride hummed on in the wheels of the car. He saw that she was shaking a little again. He didn't say anything.

She had them turn off the highway. It was getting a bit dark, just before dusk. The Boss and his other two cars traveled down the road and they found themselves at a large iron gate. Botan opened the window and rose her voice.

"It's me, Botan."

There was a pause, and soon a voice crackled through a black intercom.

"Oh! Sorry, ma'am. We're opening the gates right now."

With a small groan, the steel black gates swung inward. Hiei stared and something shifted right between his lungs and his heart. It was a little squirm, but he knew what it really was. His instinct. Intuition.

She motioned for Hiei to drive forward. He rolled up a stone driveway. Weeping willow trees loomed above them like giants, their long vine-like branches brushing up the car. When they parted, a house was able to be seen.

Mansion would be a more proper word.

Hiei almost drove the car off the driveway. _Holy shit! This place is gigantic! _He parked and a big man came up to him. He started to frisk him, but Botan stopped his hands as the other cars rolled in.

"George, it's okay. He's with me."

The ogre of a man smiled cheekily at the assistant.

"Oh, okay ma'am."

Botan smiled earnestly.

"It's okay. These three are with me too."

With smiles even with the pistol at his side, George opened the door to the house and escorted them inside.

III

Hiei thought he was living nice, in a penthouse in New York City. Obviously, that was nothing compared to Botan's Aunt.

The inside decor was lavish with silk, satin, and velvet. It struck him as English, but he didn't think he would be the right person to judge the house. George walked in, his hand on Botan's shoulder.

"Your family is waiting for you downstairs."

Botan nodded slowly.

"Thank you, George."

Hiei felt his ears prick at her voice. Yusuke's black eyebrows raised noticeably while Kurama merely had a small twitch in his shoulders. Jin let out his breath slowly. After the body guard left, Jin finally said what was on everyone's mind.

"Botan, since when did you get an accent?"

The assistant sighed and she walked, letting the others follow her to a white door. She sighed as her forehead touched the wood.

"I've always had it... but it fades every once and a while when I don't see my family." She turned to face them, and the team felt a sinking feeling. It wasn't necessarily _**bad**_, but it wasn't all that _**good **_either. "I... there are things... about me... that I'm not entirely... proud of or find it efficient to advertise." Hiei saw her eyes turn a bit red, and she looked like she was about to cry. "I just want to let you know, I don't want you to think of me any different after tonight." She twisted the doorknob. "You will still be... the closest friends... that I've ever had..."

She opened the door and stepped down a set of stairs. Yusuke frowned.

"I'm not to sure that I want to go down there."

Jin bit his lip.

"What is it? A drug ring?"

Kurama shook his head slowly.

"Drug lords would never spend their money so foolishly on a huge house like this. It would draw too much attention to themselves."

Hiei stepped to the first step.

"Come on." He heard music coming from below him. "It can't be all that bad." He smirked at his men. "We've seen everything."

Yusuke had his hands in his pockets as he followed the Boss.

"Yeah, you do have a point."

Kurama and Jin were silent as they followed their leader.

IV

The live band was playing Christmas music. A woman was singing, her voice beautiful. Botan felt her nerves relax. She had always loved the spirit of Christmas.

"Botan!" The assistant turned to find herself wrapped up in a giant hug, brown hair tickling her nose. The man pulled back, the youngest Supreme Court Justice in history. His hazel eyes were twinkling as he shook her hand. "It's been too long. How have you been?"

Botan felt herself grinning at her favorite cousin.

"Oh, I'm fine. Things have been exciting, but it's all a part of life." She dabbed her eyes with her hands and laughed a little. "Koenma, I've missed you."

She kissed him on the cheek, and he returned the favor.

"It has been too long." He let his shoulders fall when he saw Hiei appear. "Botan... I want you go get George and tell him intruders are at the party."

His voice was dangerous, and the judge's face paled. Botan followed his eyes.

"No, Koenma! They're with me."

Koenma bit his lip and looked at his closest cousin.

"Botan... do you kn–"

"Yes."

His face fell and he glanced back at them, seeing the Advisor, Second in Command, and the new Solider emerge from the stairs.

"Your mother wanted to see you as soon as you arrived."

Botan nodded and made her way through the crowd, leaving Koenma's side. The Justice watched her, sighing softly. He felt bile rise in his stomach, the acid stinging his esophagus. He walked toward them, trying not to vomit right there and then. The Boss himself smirked at him.

"Are you Botan's boy toy?"

Koenma narrowed his eyes.

"No." He coughed into his fist. "She's my cousin."

Hiei's ruby red eyes widened. Yusuke licked his lips.

"Wow. I wish I had mentioned you to her. I could have solved his whole Kuwabara thing sooner."

Koenma sat down in a chair, taking a glass of champagne from a man that looked to be a butler.

"Don't remind me about that." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "He's out, by the way. I tampered with the evidence. He was found innocent." His eyes traveled to his cousin, who was smiling and hugging her mother. "What are you doing with her?"

Hiei's shoulders rose.

"She got tangled up with us, and things have escalated to the point where she is now under our protection until we solve the problem."

The Supreme Court Justice glanced at the Boss.

"It won't cause a war between the Families... will it?" Hiei was silent. Kurama gave Jin a look that told him to be quiet. "Because, I'm warning you right now, if Botan is killed... you will have a way _**bigger **_problem on your hands than other crime families."

V

"Hello, Mother."

An elderly woman turned, her hair a blue-grey. Her eyes crinkled as she pulled her daughter into a loving embrace.

"Botan... it's good to see you well..."

The assistant smiled, her face truly glowing out of happiness.

"I love you, mom."

The woman smiled and pulled out a box. She sighed.

"You've always look so dazzling in this." She clicked open one of the locks. "I think it's time to get this party started." Botan chuckled lightly. The second and final lock was clicked open. "Here... let me put it on."

Botan got down to one knee.

"Yes, Mother."

VI

It began to snow outside. Mukuro sped down the roads, gravel flying out from the wheels. She had five other cars filled with Soldiers behind her.

In the back of all the cars was an artillery that would curl the President's hair. The wheels squeaked as it pulled up to an iron gate.

"I don't believe it boys." The two men up front said nothing as she pulled out a syringe filled with adrenalin. Just to give her that extra _boost_. "We're about to make history."

The Boss of the Makai Family got out of the car and stuck a bomb on the gate. A voice crackled over the intercom.

"State your purpose."

A red light began to blink slowly, and it began to build up speed. Mukuro pressed down on the button so she could speak to the man on the other end.

"Merry fucking Christmas."

VII

The music stopped as a hush grew over the entire party. Hiei gazed around and that was when he realized that the press was at this gathering. Reporters and camera men advanced on the crowed, the journalists talking in low voices.

"Everyone, everyone, please... if you could just let your eyes travel up here... yes just like that." An older woman stepped up to the stage, gaudy earrings handing from her wrinkled ears. "I'd like to introduce my daughter."

Cheers rose from the press and the guests. Jin squirmed in his seat and Koenma sipped at his drink. Kurama leaned over Hiei to talk to the Supreme Court Justice.

"What kind of woman is Botan exactly?"

Koenma's soft yet stern voice was able to be heard over all the clapping of the guests.

"She's wonderful." He sighed. "It's a damn shame that she's gone from here most of the time."

Jin piped up.

"You mean at the Library?"

Koenma nodded sagely.

"Exactly." Hiei was trying to find the assistant. Everyone was in the way. "What happened to her apartment?"

Hiei was still looking into the hoard of humans as he spoke to the Justice.

"You knew about that?"

"Of course. Her entire family was devastated until they saw her shopping at Sax's Fifth Avenue." His hand slipped to Hiei's sleeve, grasping it tightly enough to make the Boss turn from the crowd. "If you did that... I swear to God that I will make you pay–"

"That wasn't my action. That's what we saved her from."

Koenma fell silent as Botan stepped up onto the stage, smiling and waving very slowly, in a resolved manner. Jin felt a small flush crawl across his face when he saw her. He thought she looked like an angel. Kurama had to admit... she would take any man's breath away.

"She's great." Hiei squinted. What was that in her hair? "So... how does it feel?"

Yusuke was getting goose-bumps. He saw what Botan was wearing before Hiei did. His voice was hoarse and it cracked when he spoke.

"How does what feel?"

Koenma tilted his head to the side.

"How does it feel to know a princess?"

VIII

Hiei got up out of his hair, his hand gripping the Justice's collar.

"_**What did you say**_?"

Hot breath fanned over Koenma's face. The man's lower lip stuck out indignantly.

"Botan... I thought you knew. I thought she told you..."

Hiei pulled the judge closer to him.

"Well she didn't." His eyes were on fire. "_Tell me now._"

Koenma glared into the eyes of the Boss.

"She's the heiress to England." Hiei didn't say anything. Koenma lowered his voice to a whisper. "_Botan is the Queen's daughter._" Still nothing. "_Botan is the Princess of the English empire._"

Yusuke ran his fingers through his hair.

"Shit... shit this is... fuck."

Kurama felt his heart speed up at his new predicament. Jin squeaked.

"Botan's a princess? What?"

Kurama quickly covered the Irishman's mouth.

"Hush."

Hiei released the Justice and turned his gaze to the Princess. Her pink eyes sparkled as she spoke. It sounded like she was singing even though she was just talking. It might have been her accent that allured the audience. But Hiei could see that she had this hold on them. This loving charm that she alone possessed.

"Thank you... thank you..." Her face was flushed lightly. "It's great to be here, and for my mother's sake, let's get this party started!"

Her English accent was heavy now. Her statement wasn't brash. It was because that she said it that made it cute. Smooth. The Queen of England had her hands by her mouth, in a silent surprise.

She had a crystal glass in her hand. It was filled with a sparkling yellow liquid.

"To England."

Glasses in the crowd were raised. Hiei rose his very slightly. His lips parted and moved to those of the guests.

"_To England._"

IX

A/N: I hope I have you guys a heart attack. Lol. Hhahaha. OMG! I had to leave it there! Did you like the AMAZING twist in fanfiction history? I LOVED it. Anyway, please, if you thought it was genius, review! If you thought it was the lamest twist, review! I want it all baby! Oh, and the more reviews, the faster I get writing lol! Hahhaha. Just kidding! Please, leave a little note! I would love it!

-mia

p.s. How did you like George as the Royal bodyguard?


	11. My Princess

Three Families : My Princess

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Keep on leaving them if you want more! I hope you liked the twist. I loved it. Um, so yeah, please Read and Review!

I

The Princess smiled as the crowd followed her salute to England. Her blue hair felt like silk that rested on her shoulders. Her pink eyes slowly passed over each and every person at the party as they cheered with their champagne. That was when she saw him.

Hiei was standing in the back, in his tuxedo. His red eyes caught hers. Botan felt all the oxygen leave her lungs and her body went numb. She wanted to cry. She felt... proud and yet... terribly ashamed.

_He's raising his glass to me... to England..._

Botan quickly smiled and left the stage. Instantly, photographers and journalists crowded around her. She answered their questions and asked them to enjoy themselves and not worry about their jobs.

"Please, just enjoy Christmas Eve. It's a party. Relax."

She got laughs and smiles from them. They did back off, letting her pass without ingesting a microphone. She glided over to Hiei, who was now sitting next to a very agitated Koenma. Her cousin narrowed his eyes, glaring at her.

"You could have _**warned **_me that they didn't know who you are."

Botan flinched at his cold words.

"I'm sorry." She straightened her posture, maintaining her outer Princess appearance. "I thought I would have been able to avoid this. I never knew that I would have been caught up with Hiei and his Family."

The Boss crossed his arms.

"When you _planning _on informing the rest of us?"

The Princess bit her lower lip.

"I didn't think it was that important."

The Advisor shook his head, looking at her, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Not important?" He really wanted a cigarette. "This changes **e**_**verything**_, Botan." He finally did take out his cigarette and lit it. He blew out smoke and continued. "You... are of international importance now." He took another drag. "This is a whole new ball game..."

Jin was still in partial shock. Kurama sipped some champagne.

"Would you be safer with your own... people?" His green eyes flickered at all the lights and the hoards of royal members of different countries. "They could take care of you."

The Princess felt a cold wind pass through her bones.

"I-I don't think... that my Royal Guards would know how to handle this situation. They don't know... how Mukuro works like you do." No one spoke for a while. "U-unless you w-want me to go b-back."

Hiei shook his head.

"You're right." His eyes were hard with strategy. "She's safer with us, as crazy as it sounds."

Kurama raised his red eyebrows.

"Hiei, are you sure? This would mean that we would have to _**win **_against the Makai Family."

The Boss's eyes narrowed in a sharp glare.

"I _know _what we have to do." Koenma excused himself to talk to the guests and offered Botan his seat next to Hiei. She took it graciously. "We'll manage." He gazed into the sparkling champagne in his glass. "Besides... I think Mukuro would stay away from international affairs."

Botan shivered.

"I hope so."

II

Mukuro's heart was racing. Her eyes were wide as she jumped from tree to tree. The crisp cold air and the snow in her hair made everything absolutely _**perfect**_. Her eyes were bloodshot as the massive adrenalin injection did its magic.

She watched her men slowly approach down below her. The only way they knew what trees she was in was by the snow that fell down from the branches.

Mukuro had never been so _**thrilled **_about a kill before. She had never has such a good natural _**high **_before. Her lips pulled back to reveal her straight white teeth. She had small little fangs on either side of her mouth. She could _**taste **_the Princess. That was how bad she _**wanted **_her.

She jumped out of the last of the trees. She was at least ten feet above the ground. Her body arched as she sailed to the door. A guard came out. She landed in front of him, her ankles tingling.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but do you have an invitation?"

She was still grinning. She didn't even blink as she swiped a knife out the belt that was fastened to her side. In one swift move, the guard's jugular vein was spraying out red liquid. Mukuro's face was splattered in blood. She turned to her Soldiers. She was laughing now, her teeth still showing.

"Ready to go get 'em?"

Mukuro was ready. She heard shouts coming from inside. The little people were running in panic like ants. She had two automatic pistols at her side. She drew them both, imagining that she was in her own Wild Wild West movie.

That was when she heard the barks of guard dogs.

III

The party carried on. Hiei stared ahead as he watched the guests dance to the music. The Princess's arm was touching Hiei's shoulder.

"Thank you."

Hiei didn't frown. He was aware that they were being watched by the media. And the media were like dogs. When they found a weakness, they would pounce on it and tear it to pieces.

"I told you _**before**_, it's nothing."

The two just stared into the crowd. Kurama and Jin actually drifted off and were blending into the guests. Hiei watched the Second in Command trying to worm out of a crowd of women. Botan gazed at Jin, who was dancing with a young daughter of the Prince of Austria. He picked her up and swung her around. Yusuke was at the bar, smoking and drinking.

So it was just the Princess and the Boss of the Jaganshi crime Family. Nothing too out of the ordinary.

Botan was about to get some more champagne when she heard the high pitched giggles of children. She turned to see little kids, no older than five or six. Their grins glistened in the light and they were snickering.

"Pucker up, Lady Botan."

Botan raised her blue eyebrows.

"What are you going on about?"

She was jolly about it. Her voice really did sound like an angel's. Hiei's shoulders didn't move, but the muscles in his arms were tensed.

"Look up!"

They squealed with laughter as the Princess's pink eyes swivelled upward. They landed on a plant. It hovered between the Boss and her. She was smiling on the outside, but on the inside, her organs were quickly turning to an ice cold liquid.

Botan tapped Hiei on the shoulder.

"U-um... Hiei?" He turned gruffly to meet her. The Princess maintained a very calm facade. Her finger pointed up. "It seems that we have been caught."

She leaned to his face, but a hand that could not be seen by the children grabbed her wrist. A harsh warning.

"Don't. You. Dare."

He didn't smile, but he made sure to hide his deadly anger from the innocent kids. Botan bit her lip.

"Look, it's a tradition. Last year Koenma had to kiss the French ambassador."

Hiei bared his teeth ever so slightly.

"I don't care what Koenma did."

The Princess's smile flickered.

"I _know _that... but... it's what they want."

As if to back her up, one of the girls in the crowd of kids shouted.

"Come on and _**kiss **_already!"

Botan almost laughed. Hiei's shoulders sagged in defeat, but his eyes never showed it. He was still the cold, emotionless Boss that he had always been.

"Fine." His hand traveled up to the side of her face. "This means nothing."

Botan was still smiling, her eyes not happy at all. "I know."

Hiei leaned forward. Her pink eyes drifted shut and as he slowly closed the distance between them, something odd happened. His brain was jarred. As his lips that were anything but pure touched the angel's... he remembered just _why _she seemed oddly familiar.

He remembered her scent. Her remembered her eyes, her hair. Her voice, her kiss, her warmth.

His eyes were closed, but he felt as if they were wide open.

_She... The Princess is... Botan... that little girl... that little girl. _

He smirked against her lips.

"Am I returning the favor?" She gasped. His breath fanned across her face as he pulled back, their noses brushing. "Is that how your family would consider things done?"

Botan was breathless. Even though she had been trained to never let emotions show through unless desired... a pink flush spread across her cheeks. Her hand touched her lips.

"You..." Her eyes widened with shock and realization. "It's... you..."

Kurama turned to see Hiei kissing Botan. The women followed his gaze and let out shrieks and gasps. Jin saw them as the little girl was in midair. He almost dropped her. Yusuke only shook his head, muttering under his breath, "Fucking figures..."

The two beings stared at each other. You would think that they would have **nothing **in common. She was a Princess, destined to be the Queen of England. She was to live the royal life. She was a saint.

He was a Boss. He worked hard to get to his position, through poverty and death. He killed to get where he was. He had spilled blood to get to where he was. He was destined to either be in charge of the Jaganshi Family until he was too old to continue, or die doing so.

And yet they had a special connection.

"You were the one... who saved me..."

It was Christmas Eve, many years later, when the little boy and little girl were reunited. In retrospect, it was a few months before. But it seemed right, at that moment. Right after the kiss.

Their eyes were opened. Hiei was about to open his mouth when red lights started to flash and alarms screeched over the band.

IV

George saw his partner get stabbed. His blood turned to ice. He didn't even have to think before he released the dogs. He locked down the main floor of the Royal House, but he knew that it would most likely not last.

He ordered the other guards to go outside and take care of the terrorists. He flipped on the alarms and opened the door to the basement, programming the computerized locks behind him. He had an Uzi in his hands and he quickly shouted over the crowd, since they had fallen into a hush because of the alarms.

"Everybody! We're evacuating! There are criminals outside that are trying to break in." George knew that it was a lie, but it would be better if they didn't know that his guards were going up against madmen. _More like madwoman. _"If you would please follow me, I can get you out of here in once piece."

He opened a switch panel in the wall that was disguised as a painting of the Queen. The floor rumbled and everyone scrambled off of the dance floor as it began to open up. It opened to stairway, and lights automatically turned on.

He walked over to the Princess, gently pulling her away from her short dark friend.

"Ma'am, please come with me."

Botan tried to look behind her.

"B-but, George–"

"Don't worry about your friends, they will be safe."

He led her down the stairs, and the people quickly followed. The hidden cavern quickly opened up into a tunnel system. The crowd found themselves staring at four tunnels. George quickly took control.

"All guests and journalists, if you would please use the two tunnels to the far right, I assure you that you will find safety." He took a breath. "The tunnel on the far left is for all Royal families, including the Queen." He sighed. "And the middle tunnel is strictly for heirs and heiresses."

Botan saw Koenma rushing through the hoards of people to get to her.

"Botan!"

She reached out for him and for a long moment, the two were locked in an embrace. Tears leaked out of her tightly shut eyes.

"Koenma..." She shuddered with shame. "This is all my fault."

The Supreme Court Justice pulled back.

"No... no it's not, Botan."

He was pulled back and he reached for her. She grabbed his hand, and for a short series of moments, their hands were locked. The two close cousins were together. Then, in a flash, his skin slipped out of her grasp.

"_KOENMA!_!"

Botan couldn't help it. George quickly subdued her and started her down the hallway. She was with another Princess and one Prince. She looked behind her as the door that opened up in the middle of the floor groaned as it shut. She swore she saw Mukuro staring at her.

George saw her turn. He began to wonder why when he felt cold metal pressed into the back of his head. His stomach turned to stone when he heard a voice that sounded like it was a bother to deal with the Royal Guard.

"Don't move."

V

Hiei watched as the Princess was pulled away. He had to admit, the alarms and panic in the room sparked a prickle of fear in his own blood. He watched as Botan's Royal Guard handled the situation with grace and skill.

He quickly found Yusuke, Kurama, and Jin as George was telling them who went down what tunnels.

"Hiei... what the hell are you doing?"

Yusuke stamped out his cigarette, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"It didn't matter to either of us."

Kurama took off the coat of his tuxedo, tossing it on the ground.

"You better hope it didn't." There were whips on either of his sides. "She's a good girl."

Hiei glowered.

"Could we pause the sudden fascination about my personal life and focus on the current issue at hand?" He got no retorts. "Okay, good." He watched as the journalists and other ordinary people filed down the right tunnels. "We have to get to Botan." She was getting smaller and smaller as her Guard led her away. "Yusuke, care to take of George for me?"

The Advisor smirked.

"Finally, I get a little action!"

The ex-detective whipped out customized pistols, the silver gleaming in the flood lights. Hiei pulled out his katana and felt his mouth pull back into a slightly sadistic smile. _It's good to feel it in my hands again... _

Kurama and Yusuke went first. Yusuke was on the left and Kurama on the right. Jin quickly followed, taking the middle. Hiei walked behind Jin, getting a feel for his old sword.

Yusuke pressed the pistol in his right hand against the skull of Botan's Royal Guard. Hiei saw the entire body of the guard freeze. He could practically smell the fear just coursing out of his pours. Or maybe he lost control of his bladder.

"Don't move." Kurama quickly used his whips and disarmed George of the Uzi, tossing it to Jin. Yusuke allowed George to turn to see the Advisor's charming young face. "We're coming too."

The Royal Guard made a move to punch the Advisor, but Yusuke dodged it, capturing his arm. Kurama stood back and watched while Jin had the Uzi aimed at George. Hiei walked up, his shoes clicking on the wet cement.

"George... I understand that you have a duty to protect Botan and these other two... whatever they are." Hiei had his sword and he pointed the blade at the center of his chest as he spoke, his tenor voice defined. "Trust me when I tell you that you _**will **_need us."

In five graceful slashes, Hiei was ride of his awful tuxedo and white dress shirt. The cloth fell away from his body, revealing a chiseled chest. The Royal Guards's eyes shot open when he saw the tattoo that crawled up his arm.

"Y-you..." It was long black dragon that coiled around his right arm. It's body snaked all the way up to his shoulder. It looked like his arm was diseased. Cursed. "You're a member of the Jaganshi Family."

Hiei smirked. Out of the corner of his red eyes, he saw that Botan was smiling. A true smile. A _**real **_smile.

"You're half right." He motioned for Yusuke to let the man go. His Advisor hesitantly obliged, stepping back. "I'm the Boss." His eyes flashed as a loud explosion was heard from down where they had just come from. "My name is Hiei Jaganshi."

VI

The weight that was lifted off of Botan's shoulders when she saw Hiei was so enormous that she felt as if she was going to float right off the ground. She smiled with pure joy for the first time that night.

When Hiei walked up, his shirt in shreds, some strips hanging off of his perfect body, she knew that she was going to be okay.

"I know what you're thinking." He was very calm about all of this. She respected that. "I know that I will never have complete trust from you, and that's fine with me." Hiei was staring down her Royal Guard with those piercing blood red eyes of his. "I'm just asking for a temporary truce so that we can get the Princess out of this alive."

George bit his lip.

"Fine."

Hiei's lips quirked upwards a little.

"Good."

Botan saw Jin lower the Uzi, a relived sigh falling from his lips. Kurama smiled softly and Yusuke looked over his shoulder as another loud boom shook the tunnel. The lights flickered. The Consigliere frowned.

"I think we should get going." Another rattling blow. "Now."

Hiei nodded curtly and motioned for Jin to give George his Uzi back. Jin had is own pistol and they all took off running. Hiei next to Botan. Their eyes met for a few seconds, but no words were exchanged. With another explosion, they stared ahead, at the darkening tunnel.

No one knew what lay ahead of them. Another loud crack made the lights flicker, only this time they were thrown into darkness for over ten seconds. There was only one thing that the Princess and the members of the Jaganshi Family knew for sure.

_This __**can't **__be any good. _

VII

A/N: Chapter Ten was a little bit rushed, so I slowed down and took my time with this one. Please... PLEASE review! I'm begging you! I thought this was such a cool chapter, and I worked hard to make Mukuro freaky, so please just leave a little note was to what you think about it. Flames are accepted.

-mia

p.s. Did you like the kiss?


	12. Irish Beauty

Three Families : Irish Beauty

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Please, keep on leaving them! Um, sorry that I haven't updated in a while. It's been hectic with school almost over and parties... oh... the parties hhahahha. Okay, so yeah, leave some reviews please! I promise that I won't disappoint you!

I

The Princess's legs were burning as they ran to the end of the tunnel. The other Princess and Prince were giving her odd looks, but they were short since the blasts and red blinking lights proved to be a better distraction. They finally came to a sealed off door. George stopped and as he typed in the security code, Hiei and the others turned, armed and ready for whatever was following them in the darkness.

They didn't see anything, but they knew it was coming. The door let out an electric tone and the concrete cracked as it opened. The Royal Guard ushered the Princesses and the Prince out, the Jaganshi Family members quickly following.

Botan let the air from her lungs burst out of her mouth once she entered the fresh air. She stopped and gazed back at her Aunt's house. Parts of it were on fire. Her eyes were glassy, but she had no time to cry.

_Keep moving. _

The Princess saw Hiei look at her. He gave her a curt nod, motioning with his sword to run. She didn't need to be told twice. Botan sprinted, her high heels digging into the grass as George, the other Prince and Princess, and herself disappeared into the night.

II

Mukuro shot the first dog square between the eyes. The next, she slashed across the throat. They kept coming.

Her men open fired on them. Soon, all the canines were dead. The Boss of the Makai Family smiled as she saw a large man hit the alarm. The house glowed red. Mukuro's lips quirked as she opened her mouth.

"Follow them to the basement! I want you to smoke them out!"

Her Soldiers ran into the house while the Boss waited. She _knew _that the Princess wouldn't just wait. No, the Queen would want to protect her seed.

The Boss turned, blood still on her face. She turned to the forest and moved quickly. Quietly. Her eyes were wide as she struggled to see. As her legs pumped, she drew out another syringe and injected herself with more adrenalin.

Suddenly the shadows got brighter and the air was colder. Mukuro let out a primal cry as she followed the underground tunnels that she memorized in the blue prints.

_I'm so close to you, Princess! _The stars seemed brighter. The moon got bigger. _I'm __**so **__close! You can't even imagine! _The snow burned at her skin. _**I'm coming for you.**_

III

Hiei saw the Soldiers crawl out of the tunnel. Kurama watched as his Boss literally disappear. The Makai men dropped dead, long gashes twisting up and down their skin. Jin's green eyes were wide as Hiei appeared, his katana dripping red.

The Irishman had never seen anything so horrifically beautiful. His Boss was still, the snow falling on his midnight black hair and his crimson eyes were bright with the thrill of his kill. Blood dripped onto the snow, and just a few specks were on his bare hands.

The nineteen year old heard gunfire. He drew his automatic pistol as he slowly followed where Botan and the others had last been seen.

As his feet crunched on the snow, he thought of why he joined the Jaganshi Family. His hands shook as he slowly walked forward, towards the crackling violence.

He was just a kid. That was what Hiei had told him when they first met. _'You're just a kid.' _Jin had lied when he said that he **had **killed someone. He hadn't, but it was mandatory in order to be a part of the Jaganshi Family.

Jin felt vomit building up in his stomach. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths. He _**had **_to do this. He was not backing out. Not now. He had gotten so far. He was so close.

_Do it for your sister. _

Jin panted heavily as he came to the clearing. He clicked the safety off of his gun.

_Do it for Amelia. _

IV

_Jin had been a normal college boy. He was a freshman and he was attending NYU. His dream come true. Jin had a full ride scholarship and he had the perfect average. He was slightly popular, and had even been accepted into a fraternity. _

_His parents were loving, but they were preoccupied with his little sister, Amelia. _

_Amelia... she was by far the best sister in the whole word. She was the definition of Irish beauty. She was nine and already had the long blonde hair that had a slight wave to it. Her face was fair and could be considered pale and dotted with freckles. _

_Amelia loved dresses. Green ones were her absolute favorite. Jin would visit his parents every other weekend, and with that visit would be his play-time with his sister. _

_Her favorite game was hide and seek. She was very good at it. Jin didn't have to fake his frustration when it came to finding her. She was a minx, Amelia was. _

_Jin loved his parents. He really did. Jin thought his life was great. He thought nothing could go wrong. He was in NYU, his sister was getting good grades at the private school she went to. His parents were still working, but they were happy. _

_Simple, right?_

_It was one weekend that Jin decided to surprise Amelia. It was her birthday. November fifteenth. It was a Tuesday. Jin had a big stuffed bear and a load of books for her. He opened the door to his house._

_The lights weren't on. Jin set down the teddy bear and the books as he called out to his parents. Mom... Dad... is anyone home?_

_The entire house was dead silent. Jin searched the first floor. Nothing. He called again. Nothing. The boy checked the car key rack. All the keys were still there. Jin frowned as he looked at the stair case._

_He climbed the first stair. The hair on his arm twitched. Then the second stair. Goose-bumps spread out on his skin. Third stair. The back of his neck tingled. _

_Jin told himself that he was being stupid. Nothing was wrong. He called again. Mom? Dad?_

_Are you there?_

_No answer._

_Jin finally made it to the top of the stairs. He opened the door to Amelia's room. Nothing. Next was the bathroom. Empty. The closets were uninhabited. What was left was the room at the end of the hall. _

_His parent's room. _

_Mom?_

_Dad?_

_Are you there?_

_Jin's throat was tight. He told himself that he was being irrational. Everything was fine. They were probably just playing a prank on him. Oh, joke on Jin! Haha! _

_He pushed the door open. It creaked as it slowly eased so Jin could see inside. _

_His green eyes shot open as tears gathered. He barely had time to see the bodies of his Mother and Father before he was vomiting on the floor, his eyes shut and his stomach burning as he cried. _

_He kept on saying, 'Oh, God. Oh, God!'. _

_On their bed, his parents had been murdered. The blood ran deep in the quilt. It was making the rug all sticky. Jin shook with convulsions as he continued to empty his stomach onto the floor. _

_The wounds had been in their stomachs and throats. What Jin didn't understand was: Why did they continue? They were dead, but whoever murdered them just kept going._

_Why? Why __**his **__parents? Jin wouldn't have cared if it was someone else's mom and dad. Why did it have to be __**his **__Mother and Father?_

_When he finally stopped throwing up, he opened his eyes. Everything was blurry. It was hard to breathe. But still... he had to look at them. _

_Jin clung to the wall. He stepped forward, not caring as his sneaker just squished through his own vomit. _

_His Mother was under his Father. Her eyes were closed and her hand was clutching onto her silver cross necklace. The silver was now rusty colored. His Father's eyes were open, dark and unseeing. His red hair was a mess as he slumped over his wife. _

_He had tried to protect her. _

_Jin wailed. He sank to his knees and touched his Mother's hand. He brought her hand that was clutching onto the cross desperately to his lips, kissing her over and over again. He kept on whispering and wheezing just one phrase over and over again. _

_I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you._

_He did. Jin really did._

_Jin hugged his Father and did the same thing. _

_I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you._

_Jin stood back and looked around the room. Their desk was over turned. Papers were everywhere. The room smelled. Bad. His parents most likely had voided like all dead people do. _

_On the wall was a mark. _

_It was scrawled in his Mother and Father's blood. _

_It was a circle with a cross in the center. The lower leg of the cross was elongated, past the edge of the circle and curling up, turning into a demon tail._

_It was the mark of the Makai Family._

_Jin suddenly understood. His parents were killed by the Makai Family. For what? He had no idea. Jin bit his fist to stop himself from screaming. His teeth pierced his skin and blood ran into his mouth._

_Mom? Dad? Are you there?_

_He heard the squeal of brakes outside. He heard the bus. Jin felt his skin jump and he frantically wiped his eyes. He ran out of the room, slipping on his throw up and running down the stairs. _

_Amelia was just opening the door when he made it down stairs. _

_She saw him, but she didn't hug him. She saw his grey skin with a green hue tinting his face. She watched his chest rise and fall in quick, desperate breaths. _

_Jin? Are you alright?_

_She was starting to cry. She didn't know what happened to her parents. Jin was scaring her. He looked at her like he had just seen her. Jin hugged her close, and Amelia hugged him back just as frantically, feeling like her brother needed it. _

_When he pulled back, he said that they had to leave. He took the bear and left the house and books behind. Amelia and Jin were walking briskly down the sidewalk. Tears still rolling down her cheeks, Amelia asked, What about Mommy and Daddy?_

_They're coming later, Jin replied. _

_They slept on park benches. They ate at fast food restaurants. When Jin's credit card ran out, he found food in garbage cans. He gave the best food to his sister, and ate the rancid stuff himself. _

_Amelia cried for three days and three nights. She didn't sob, but she did cry, wiping her nose on her sleeve. _

_Eventually, Jin knew that his life was basically over. He could never go back to college. He could never go back home. He had no home. _

_He found an orphanage and told his sister to stay there. She asked him, Why? Can't I stay with you, brother?_

_No, Jin said. You can't stay with me. _

_Amelia... she was such and old soul. She began to cry again. She knew... somehow she __**knew **__that Mommy and Daddy weren't coming. It was just her and her brother now. _

_I love you, Amelia whispered. _

_Jin hugged his little sister at the door of the orphanage. _

_I love you too. His voice hurt. He pulled back. She was clinging to the teddy bear and he pinched her cheek, a playful movement that they shared. He made her a promise, holding her hands. _

_Amelia, I'm going to tell you something very important, so you listen, alright? Amelia nodded. Good, now, you go in that orphanage and say that you are an orphan. You are going to stay there. If they ask you about Mom and Dad... tell them you don't know what happened. _

_Amelia nodded. _

_Okay. I promise you, Amelia, I'm coming back. Don't cry. I'm coming back, and I'll have enough money to get us by. We'll get through this, and put all of it behind us. _

_Y-yes, Jin, Amelia stammered in reply._

_Stay._

_Amelia nodded and Jin opened the door, Amelia stepping into the dark reaches of the building. Jin closed the door and turned, wiping tears from his face. _

_He __**was **__going to come back for her. He __**was **__going to make the money he needed. _

_Jin had his hands in his pockets as snow began to fall. _

_He __**was **__going to get __**revenge**_

_Jin knew that the Makai Family was rivals with the Jaganshi Family. He knew that he would become a bad man, that he would be destined for Hell, but there was no other way. That day, Jin found Kurama and told him that he wanted to join the Jaganshi Family._

_That day, he came to Kurama cold and hungry. The Second in Command took him to a diner and had him eat. Jin ordered two eggs. Scrambled. He had a sandwich, grilled chicken. He had pudding._

_When Jin met Kurama, he was asked why he wanted to join the Jaganshi Family. Jin knew that if he told Kurama the truth that he would most likely end up washing dishes for his meal. _

_I want to join to become a part of the Jaganshi Family. I want to serve the Boss. _

_That was what he told Kurama. The Second in Command didn't talk for a while as he watched the boy eat. The shirt he was wearing was dirty and covered in holes. His sneakers were worn and he smelled like garbage and sweat. _

_Okay. I'll see what I can do._

_Kurama smiled and took Jin back to his apartment. He cleaned him up and gave him new clothes. A few days later, Jin was a part of the Jaganshi Family. Jin had kneeled down at the feet of Hiei Jaganshi himself, kissing his knuckles, pledging himself to him. When Jin stood, Hiei told him to wait before running off too soon. _

_You're just a kid._

_Jin was just a kid. His eyes, however, were scarred and old. _

_I know._

_They both stared at each other. Hiei's red eyes bored into Jin's Irish green irises. _

_Just making sure you know what you're doing._

_Jin blinked and Hiei was gone. The teenage boy, once prestigious student who was at the top of his classes in college, was now a member of the Jaganshi Family. The once brother to his sister... was now a Solider. The once son of his Mother and Father... was now in a crime family._

_Jin walked out to Kurama's car, and stared out the window at the passing buildings, tears in his eyes. _

_Mom?_

_Dad?_

_Are you there?_

V

Botan was pulled along by George. The Princess kept on turning back and the Prince was trying to out run all of them. Gunfire popped in their ears. George was hit, his knees buckling. He screamed at them.

"**KEEP RUNNING!**"

Botan and the other Royal heirs stumbled through the woods. The Princess fell down, and Botan helped her up, and the Prince just kept on running. The two heiresses clung to each other and began to move, but Botan felt the barrel of a gun pressing into the back of her neck.

"D-don't move, Princess."

She didn't recognize the voice. It could only mean one thing.

This was someone from the Makai Family.

"P-please... just let her go." Botan motioned to the Princess who was crying in front of her. "She has nothing to do with this." The Princess of England stood, her back straight. "I won't co-operate if you don't let her g–"

"Whatever! Leave! Go already!"

A hand near the side of Botan's face waved the other Princess off. The Princess didn't move for a second. She whispered hoarsely.

"T-t-thank you." She kissed Botan briefly on the lips. "Thank you so much."

She disappeared into the foliage. Botan began to tremble. The man behind her pushed her roughly.

"Move."

Botan obeyed, the cold metal of the gun still pressing into her skin. She turned to the man, and she was shocked to see him sweating. He was shaking too.

"Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose with his hand.

"Shut up!" His eyes were wild. "Just shut up!" The gun was shaking. "Just keep walking and don't ask questions." Botan backed up, not turning her back to him. "I don't want to shoot you."

The Princess trembled as she rubbed her arms for warmth.

"You don't have to do this." The veins in the Solider's neck were bulging. "I will get my government to let you go with a clean slate if you just let me go. If you help me, I'm certain that you will be rewarded."

"Shut the fuck up!" The Princess flinched. "_**Stop **_talking to me!"

Botan kept backing up and the Solider was standing still. With each step she was getting farther and farther away from that Uzi. The snow crackled under her heels. Her skin was cold as the air nipped at her skin. She was still in the low cut dress.

That was when an explosion rocketed the entire forest. Botan was thrown backwards, into a tree. The breath was knocked out of her. Her eyes fluttered open and she felt clumps of... wet... something on her face.

She couldn't hear. All she could hear was a high pitched ringing in her ears. Other than that, the Princess felt like she was under water. Everything was dull and fuzzy.

Her hands went up to her face and wiped at what was clinging everywhere to her.

When she pulled back her delicate hands, she saw red smeared across her fingers. She squeezed it, and it popped in her hand, warm liquid oozing onto her skin. That was when it clicked to just what was on her. Just what was everywhere on her, face, chest, arms, and legs.

It was what was left of the Makai Solider.

VI

Botan couldn't scream. Her eyes were was wide as saucers, but she couldn't cry. Her mouth was open, but no sound was coming out. Her hands were shaking, but she couldn't stand. Her ears were still on her head, but all she would hear was that annoying ringing.

The trees were on fire. The heat was making Botan feel a bit light headed. The fire blew back her hair. Spit was running down her mouth, and she felt like it was boiling right on her face.

A shadow stumbled through the flames. It was black. It was erratic. The Princess could only breathe, mouth still wide open, as it slowly neared her.

It's brown hair was glowing in the dancing flames. Botan wondered how this person could be walking through fire... unless they were the devil themselves.

A small burst of flame exploded, and Botan saw their face.

It was _**her**_.

Her brown hair was singed. Her one eyes was twinkling merrily. A toothy grin was plastered across her lips. Mukuro walked towards the Princess.

For the first time in her life, Botan finally understood the feeling of paralyzing fear. The Princess watched her executioner approach slowly, blood glistening like oil in the fire. Botan couldn't even make a soft cry come out of her brittle throat. Her hands were still shaking in front of her, the globs of flesh suddenly not as important as they once were.

As Mukuro approached... Botan sat, leaning against the tree, snow melting and dampening her dress.

The Boss of the Makai Family opened her mouth. Botan didn't hear her. The Princess closed her eyes, hot tears running down her face. Her heart hammering, her skin tingling, her lungs burning... it all added up to one simple solution. Pink eyes opened lazily to see Mukuro's face inches away from her own. Hot breath fanned over her face.

_I'm dead._

A branch crackled and fell, to the ground, flaming in the snow. Botan's shoulders relaxed.

_I really am dead._

VII

A/N: As I was writing Jin's past, I cried. I read it to my mom, and I cried. Please, review. Tell me if you liked Jin and his family, and his situation. I think my description on Jin's reaction was good. If you thought it sucked or it was stupendous, tell me. In fact, Review if you want more! Please!

-mia

p.s. Thanks for all the reviews before, please tell me if you liked this chapter!


	13. A Bloody Crown

Three Families : A Bloody Crown

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Keep on leaving them!

I

The fire crackled. The air was still, no wind. It was eerie. It was perfect. At least, Mukuro thought so.

The Princess was under her, unable to move. She was covered the remains of her own Soldier. Her pink eyes were locked with in the Boss of the Makai Family's. Mukuro's hair was smoking at the ends, and she saw that Botan was actually trembling a little.

It wasn't from the cold.

"Botan?" The Princess let out a soft whimper. Mukuro smiled. It _looked _so sweet. So caring. "You know what I'm going to do to you?" Botan said nothing. All she could do was stare into those endless eyes. The Boss leaned close to Botan's ear, nipping the lobe before she spoke in a thick voice. "I'm going to take you away from here." She could smell the Princess's tears. "And then, I'm going to torture you. I'm going to make you scream, beg for me to kill you." A cold smirk spread across her lips. "But I'll make you wait... do you hear me?"

Mukuro didn't even for a response. She could tell by the convulsions over taking her body and the way her throat froze, only producing wheezes instead of the shrilling screams that she was trying so desperately to make.

That was when those sparkling pink orbs broke their eye contact. Mukuro didn't have to wait. She saw the approaching man reflected in Botan's eyes. In a fluid motion brought on by the adrenalin, the Boss seemed to slide through the air like a hot knife through butter.

She turned in time to dodge a knife thrown at her chest.

It wasn't who she expected.

She was ready for Hiei. But she was presented with someone else.

"Who the hell are you?"

The Princess clutched her heart as she tried to hunch over. Tears spilled out of her eyes and she was able to form words.

"_Jin... please..._"

II

Jin walked through the explosion. His red hair blew back with the ash and sparks. His green eyes were expressive... until he came to a clearing.

He saw Botan. Beautiful as ever.

She was covered in blood, her body trembling. Her blue hair was matted down with it. But that wasn't what made Jin lose control.

Standing over her was Mukuro. Boss of the Makai Family. The Family that killed his Mother and Father. It was then that Jin's eyes glazed over, becoming as hard as rocks. Uzi in his left hand, Jin took his knife into the palm of his right hand.

_Tonight is the night. _He ran forward, feeling like he had just lost his soul. He couldn't feel his legs even as they hit the cold ground. All he could feel was the knife in his hand. The Uzi pressed into his side. _Prepare yourself, Mukuro. _

Every breath he took was full of hatred. He had **waited **for this. He had **lived **for this moment. Jin raised the knife, the steel shimmering in the moonlight and from the glow of the fire. He felt like a warrior, his clothes burning a bit, ash smeared across his face. He had never **wanted **anything more.

_**Prepare to die!**_

III

Mukuro watched as some **kid **dared to match her skill. The more she looked at him, the more offended she got.

He was scrawny, his red hair sticking out in all sorts of crazy directions. He was the Princeton type, a little do-gooder. He must be one of the security guards for the Royal Family. That was when he took off the confining shirt.

Her eyes only touched his pale and skinny body for a few short moments.

She stared at his right arm.

Stretching across his skin was a black tattoo of a dragon. The mark of the Jaganshi Family. Her hazel eyes were wide with disbelief. _This prat is in the Jaganshi Family?_

He was about to charge again when he fell. Mukuro almost laughed as he fell face first in the snow. Kurama stepped out of the shadows, his gorgeous face sapping up the moonlight. He pulled his arm back, and Jin jerked as the whip that had wrapped around his leg snapped back to its owner.

"Now is not the time, Jin."

The Irishman pushed himself up, his arms shaking.

"Kurama... please..."

The Second in Command never stopped looking at the Boss of the Makai Family.

"No."

A shot rang out in the air. A bullet blew through Mukuro's arm. An animalistic cry burst from her lips as Yusuke, the once renowned Detective, wiped some blood from his mouth as he ran to them.

Mukuro opened her mouth, her voice low, a mixture between a rabid cat and a venomous snake.

"_You'll __**never **__defeat me!"_

She took out two needles and injected herself in both veins.

The fire around them roared as the flames danced dangerously into the night.

IV

Hiei was thrown forward at the explosion. His face was ground into the snow, and he got right down to the dirt. He picked up his head and wiped some mud off of his lips.

_Where's Botan? _

He picked himself up, his heart beating faster and faster. He had to get to her before the Makai Soldiers did. Or worse, Mukuro herself. The Boss didn't want to think. He just wanted to act. He **had **to get to the Princess. That's all that mattered.

Hiei Jaganshi heard a gunshot. The crack of a whip. He literally disappeared.

The next time Hiei was able to be seen was by Botan's side. He paused before actually touching her to gaze at what was happening with his team.

What he saw was... picturesque.

Mukuro roared like a wild stallion. The light was falling on her drastically, half of her face pitch dark while the other half glowed with passion as she spun in the air. Two pistols were in her hands.

Kurama, however, was dragging her out of the air. He was armed with two whips. They were each wrapped tightly around Mukuro's ankles, and he swiftly had her slamming into the ground. The Second in Command's hair was floating around him, his teeth grinding.

Then there was Jin who was watching, half of his face in awe, the other in pure rage.

It was Yusuke who was firing. And Hiei knew that he was the right man for the job. Finally, he turned to the Princess.

Her blue hair was stained brown in some places with dried blood. She still had her crown on, and her dress had been pushed up to her knees. Her fair skin was soaked in blood that was not her own. And her eyes... her eyes were what Hiei remembered the most about that night.

They were empty. Like the shells of bullets that had been fired. Nothing. Just hollow.

"Princess?"

More gun shots. Somewhere far away, a helicopter took off.

"_**Botan**_?"

V

The Queen was hurried out of the tunnels, her old feet aching as her Royal Guards escorted her to the helicopter pad. Lights around the helicopter flashed on, making the Queen squint as she was directed into the helicopter. Before she went on, she looked back out towards the woods. Towards the fire. Towards the gunfire.

"My daughter... where is she?"

A Guard firmly touched her arm, a silent push for her to get inside the vehicle.

"Ma'am, she'll be with us shortly! Please, we have to leave, **now**!"

The Queen backpedaled and was soon seated. In a matter of seconds, the Guards were inside the helicopter and banged on its side, telling the piolet to take off.

The Queen of England watched as the trees became smaller and smaller. She saw the fires and the short bursts of bullets. _Dear God, let Botan be alright. _

The helicopter rose into the black sky as the snow fell. That would be the last night the Queen would see her daughter as she had normally been.

VI

Kurama rushed through the flaming vegetation, goose-bumps raising on his skin when he saw the kid rushing at Mukuro. _Does Jin have a death wish? _Hands brushing his hips, Kurama cracked his whip around Jin's ankle, dragging him to the ground.

The Second in Command saw Mukuro start to sprint towards the Princess, but she had another thing coming if she thought she was just going to **take **her. Not when he was still breathing.

Not caring if he died because of this, Kurama attacked the Boss of the Makai Family. His green eyes were so calm and steady as he cracked a whip across her back, the other snagging her leg and slamming her into the earth. Her hair fell in front of her face, and blood was already starting to seep into the back of her shirt.

Yusuke soon came and destroyed Mukuro's upper arm. But, for some freak reason, it never slowed her down. Kurama, a doctor, could see the muscles clenching and the blood flowing. She should be screaming and crying in her agonizing pain. She should be on the ground, writhing and jerking with the convulsions of shock.

But she wasn't.

She grinned at them, blood in her teeth as she shot a round into Kurama's leg.

As Kurama sank to the ground, still sending his whips after her, he saw Hiei trying to talk to Princess Botan. Their eyes met, and Kurama opened his dry lips, his voice almost gone.

"Go." He sent a skin tearing crack across Mukuro's chest. She didn't bat an eye. "_**NOW! HIEI! GO NOW!**_"

VII

Hiei Jaganshi heard the desperate plea of his best friend. His best mate. He picked up Botan and brought her close to his chest. Mukuro saw him moving her, and she let out a shrill war cry. Yusuke fired a few shots, but only one hit her. Right in the knee cap.

She didn't stop. It was impossible.

And it was still happening.

That was when his Second in Command used both whips and had them latch onto her arms, pulling them back. The sickening _pop _told the Boss that Mukuro had dislocated both of her shoulders.

Kurama was panting, off balance, one of his legs out of commission.

"For fuck's sake... go..."

Botan was dead weight in Hiei's arms. Not once muscle in her body contracted. Without saying a word, Hiei jumped back. He turned, and as he sailed through the air, a deafening explosion.

Hiei turned just in time to see the flames lapping greedily at the very place where Mukuro and his friends had been.

VIII

Botan watched as her new friends began to fight Mukuro. The Boss seemed to have come out of Hell itself, her hair smoking and her eyes dancing with the fire of a dangerous soul. She saw Kurama fall from Mukuro's gun.

It was only a matter of time before Yusuke and Jin were also indisposed. Her pink eyes couldn't fill with tears anymore. She was dry. Dry as a brittle bone.

Just when the heat of the flames were getting to be a bit too much, Botan heard a voice. She barely caught it, but it was there.

_...Princess...?_

Kurama was still fighting with one leg, trying to drag down the beast with his whips.

_...Botan...?_

Even when her name was called, she didn't turn. She couldn't stop watching the blood. The violence. It was worse than the rubberneck effect at car accidents. This was almost a morbid fascination.

Even when she was taken into someone's arms, she couldn't bring herself to become embarrassed. She couldn't move. She couldn't think. She could only watch. As the person, her savior, carried her, she still watched, her chin resting on their shoulder.

Kurama went slack.

Yusuke fired.

Jin got up and threw a small dagger.

Mukuro dropped a grenade by accident.

Even adrenalin couldn't fix that.

And after that, all Botan could remember was the hot flames that whispered against her face.

IX

The Boss of the Jaganshi Family felt his heart stop for multiple beats. He knew that if he stopped running, the Princess and himself would be consumed in the fire. And he _**would not **_let that happen.

He ran so fast that he would have gone over the speed limit for many roads. That wasn't an exaggeration. His muscles were unlike any other man's, having been constantly tested since he had been a boy.

He sprinted out of the woods in about thirty seconds. He found himself on a road. The Boss wasn't panting. The _natural _adrenalin that coursed through his veins fueled him. His eyes landed on a motorcycle. Some guy was just starting it. Without thinking, Hiei appeared in front of the vehicle.

"Who the hell are you? Are you _fucking _nuts?"

Hiei didn't even hesitate. His katana was unsheathed and it was pressed up against the throat of the overweight man, who smelled of booze.

"Get off." The man was eyeing the sword with bleary pupils. "_**Now**_."

The old man nudged the kick-stand down with his worn, dirty, boot. He stepped off the sputtering bike and glared at the Boss of the Makai Family. Hiei got on and was glad when he felt Botan's slender arms wrap around his waist as she sat up.

_Finally, she's coming back. _

Hiei's face was ice cold as he kicked up the stand and sped off, down the highway. The snow stung his bare skin, but he didn't care. He had to get back to New York City. Snow be damned.

The street lamps blended into one fuzzy stripe of light. The highway was a never ending road, and Hiei was the only one on it. It was, after all, the very early start of Christmas Day. He sped down the road, his crimson eyes barely blinking.

The wind in his ears made it hard for him to hear. As he whined down the road, Princess all but completely limp, he never noticed the rhythmic beating in the wind. Hiei only realized just what was happening when yellow bursts of sparks on the road told him that he was getting shot at.

In a swift move that made Botan tighten her grip on him, Hiei leaned to the left harshly, his knee almost skimming the asphalt as he turned drastically. To his astonishment and horror, Hiei Jaganshi was staring down a helicopter.

X

Hiei didn't move. It was motorcycle against helicopter. Civilian against government.

"_**You, down there!" **_Hiei had his usual emotionless demeanor on. _**"Put your hands in the air! Return Princess Botan to us!"**_

The voice that blared over the large megaphones at the side of the aircraft had a British accent. Hiei didn't respond.

"_**Respond or we will be forced to take offensive action! If you surrender now, we will come to a compromise about your punishment!"**_

_Punishment? _Hiei knew that all it would take was a short sleeved shirt for them to see that he was a part of the Jaganshi Family. _Fuck the punishment. _

With a grunt and a rev of the engine, Hiei speed off at top speed, down the highway.

He heard the helicopter stop hovering and begin to give chase. Then came the bullets. Hiei zigzagged back and forth, but he knew that he one of the metal pellets would strike the bike sooner or later.

He saw his chance.

The Boss kept just a few centimeters in front of the bullets, and he quickly jerked the wheel. The bike swerved wildly, and the last thing the piolet saw of the bike was it crunching into the concrete wall, some parts sailing over the bridge.

XI

Botan was still slightly catatonic. It was actually funny, how she was just staring down at the water like it didn't matter that she was dangling between life and death. Her blue hair was falling in front of her eyes as she saw flaming debris splash into the water.

Her head slowly looked upward, wondering just what was holding her up. Just who had taken her away and had gotten the motorbike. Just who had crashed the motorcycle into the wall, but propelling themselves through the explosion and over the wall of the bridge in one graceful leap.

Her pink eyes widened as she saw Hiei staring upwards, his jaw clenched as he held himself up by a support beam with one hand. The other hand had hers in its tight grasp. If he squeezed any harder, he was going to break her fingers.

He grunted as he pulled himself up, struggling to roll onto his stomach. He soon looked down at her, the swaying Princess just above the water. Her pink eyes that were starting to come back to life. Her cheeks that were regaining their color.

He yanked her up and pressed a finger to his lips, his ears perked and ready for something. Botan didn't know what it was. She felt... lightheaded.

She wanted to cry.

She really did.

Botan wanted to sob hysterically. For the highly probable death of Jin, Yusuke, and Kurama. For the threat that Mukuro gave her. For the bits and pieces of flesh that were starting to harden on her skin.

She wanted to shed tears for all of those reasons and many more.

But she couldn't.

Even as she watched Hiei's blood stained face look at her with haunted eyes, the Princess could not even move her mouth muscles to frown or smile.

Princess Botan of England had been damaged.

XII

A/N: For those of you who thought that this was starting to end, I'm sorry to say that you were wrong. Don't worry, I'm not going to make it a million chapters long and drag it out, but I've got big plans and twists for this story, so please, PLEASE review! Tell me if you liked it? Was the action real, or fake feeling? Was everyone in character? Are you worried, sad, or happy? Tell me!

Thanks again,

-mia


	14. My Sweet Lullaby

Three Families : My Sweet Lullaby

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! But, there is just one thing, the reviews in the last few chapters have gone down, like 14 to 13, 13 to12 and so on and so forth. I know that lots of people read this, so a review, no matter how long or short (or nice) would be welcomed. Ahem, anyway, I'm going to Europe on June 25, (and I know some of you already know this lol), and I wont be back until July 13. So, that would be the reason for not updating in a while. PLEASE read and review!

I

The Boss of the Jaganshi Family stared at the assistant. The Princess... pure royalty. He watched her pink eyes fade. It was like he wasn't there. He had seen eyes like hers.

He had seen them on the bodies of the dead. Or dying.

"Botan." Nothing. "Princess, you have to stay with me." The pulsing of the air began. Hiei pinched her cheeks. He got some muscles in her face to twitch. It was a start. "Come on, you've got to snap out of it!"

The pulsing turned into rhythmic thuds in the air. Hiei quickly squashed the Princess up against his chest as he pressed into the wall, shielding them from the helicopters lights with his back. The wind blew their hair, but Hiei knew that they were hidden by the shadows.

For now.

"Come on." He knew he was speaking to a girl, no, woman in shock. He just felt like he should say _**something**_. "We're getting out of here."

He picked her up in his arms, noting how she was limp. He carried her against his chest. Her eyes stared, not blinking once, over his shoulder as he ran across the lower part of the bridge. One slip, and he was toast.

The Boss kept running. Legs pumping. He heard the helicopter lower and search the waters. He watched as some pebbles fell to the water below.

_Don't look down. Don't look down._

So his eyes returned to being glued straight ahead.

II

Botan watched as little bits and pieces of the bridge loosened under Hiei's feet. Her pink eyes saw the helicopter as it passed in and out of her vision. She saw the British flag painted proudly on its side.

It did nothing for her.

She felt her heart beating rapidly. She felt the slightly swift beat of the Boss's own cardiac muscles.

For some reason, she thought of her life as it was several months ago.

She had been a librarian's assistant. No one in New York knew she was the Princess of England. She had a small, quaint apartment. Botan had Yukina as a close friend, and sometimes Kuwabara.

Her worries consisted of her mother calling. Christmas Eve. Leaving the oven on. Being able to buy food without having to access her royal account.

It seemed so stupid now.

Everything was obsolete.

Her life, the lie she had been living as a way to escape... it was foolish.

Nothing and everything mattered.

As her pink eyes never narrowed when a blinding light passed over them, as her ears vibrated with the low hum of the wings of the helicopter... she realized that she was a very small person in the world, Princess or not.

Tears began to fall.

_I'm... so... small... and there's no one here to save me..._

III

The Boss of the Jaganshi Family panted as he finally reached the end of the bridge. The whine of cars screeched above him. He was in the dark underground of New York City now. His crimson eyes relaxed as he slowed to a walk.

He felt the Princess adjust herself. It was something. Something to hope on? Maybe.

Hiei was silent and cold as he walked down the dark streets. His feet were silent as he blended in the shadows of the buildings, the only light coming from the sparkling jewelry hanging around the Princess's neck.

_This entire situation was fucked_ _from the beginning. I __**knew **__it would have been better to just not have been involved! To just leave it alone!_

Even as he thought that, Hiei couldn't bring himself to believe it. No matter how the entire start at the Library had played out... the Princess would have been hurt... and he would have had to take care of her. No matter what.

_Destiny is a bitch._

He walked twenty blocks until he found what looked like dirty, ratty, motel. He kicked in the door and the manager that was sitting behind a glass window and desk flinched.

"Mr. J-J-Jaganshi... w-w-what seems to be the p-p-p-problem?"

Hiei said nothing and just stalked past, Princess in his arms. Her eyes met the manager's for a total of three fifths of a second.

Hiei kept many rooms in many hotels and motels under reserve. Just in case.

He set the Princess down on the bed and stepped back.

She was sitting. At least she didn't slump over like a rag doll. _Those eyes... _They were still worrying him. They were becoming more and more distant. Hiei touched her forehead.

"I'm going to be right back, do you understand?" He flicked a piece of flesh off of her skin with his long nail. "Right back. I'll be right here." He motioned to just outside the door. "Are you... do you understand?"

He got no response. She didn't even blink.

"Stay here."

With a pat on the head, he was gone.

As the door closed, Botan's head turned. Her eyes, still misty and fogged, blinked. With achy joints and tight skin with a layer of dried blood on it... she began to stand.

IV

"_We're sorry, but this user is either out of range or their plan has expired."_

Hiei glared as Kurama's number proved to be... "unavailable". His hands were getting sweaty as he told himself to calm down. He punched in Yusuke's number.

"_We're sorry, but this user is either out of range or their plan has expired."_

Hiei squeezed the phone so hard he almost broke it. _Calm down, Hiei! We still have the kid!_

"_We're sorry, but this user is either out of range or their plan has expired."_

Jin's number was also obsolete. Hiei squeezed his eyes shut tightly. He wouldn't cry. He hadn't cried in over ten years.

But his eyes still burned.

His fists clenched and he rubbed his eyes frantically. His chest started to move quickly.

"Shit!"

He covered his mouth, horrified at how his voice had cracked. He ha to keep his cool. If he lost it, then no one would be able to take care of the Princess. And she wouldn't be able to last in this part of the city. Not in that outfit. Not with those diamonds around her slender neck. Not with her current state of mind.

That was when he heard an odd sound coming from the inside of the motel room. Without hesitation he opened the door.

The bed that once held Botan was now empty.

The door to the bathroom was ajar.

V

Botan was in the shower, sitting on the tile. Her dress was still on and her she was shivering. Her blue hair was clinging to her face, her shoulders, and even the very start of her breasts. Her lips were parted, and Hiei could tell that she was breathing by the water that would mist up when she exhaled.

"Botan?"

She didn't turn to him. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

"What are you doing?"

Hiei knew he might as well be talking to a statue. She brought her arms around herself. Hugging herself. Hiei didn't know why he acted. Maybe it was out of comfort. Pity. Compassion. Only God would know.

But he stepped into the shower with her.

He had shreds of his shirt on, and it was white anyway. He just tore it up, seeing how it was worthless anyway. That was when he realized that little streams of red was running off of the angelic Princess of England.

With all the excitement, near death explosions, and outsmarting a helicopter... Hiei had forgotten just what Botan looked like.

She was covered in blood and... bits of... a person?

He began to take a piece of his white cloth and he dabbed her forehead, waiting to see if there was a reaction. She blinked.

Hiei almost bit his lower lip as he continued to wipe away the blood. He went down to her cheeks, her eyes, and she closed them, and even her lips.

Then he went to her shoulders. Her chest. Her arms. Her legs.

When he was done, he looked back into the eyes of the Princess. To his... delight... she was... looking better. They were clear. Vibrant pink. Hiei brushed some hair out of her eyes, his voice not soft or compassionate.

Just a flat tenor. Like always.

"Better?"

Her lips opened. Her throat contracted. Her lungs expanded.

"_Sing me a lullaby..."_

The Boss felt like his entire body had been tossed out naked into the snow.

"What?"

"_That song... you know the one... please... for me..."_

She had no idea it was him. Hell, maybe she had no idea who he was. Or maybe this was still the shock talking. For once in his life, Hiei Jaganshi _**didn't know**_.

"I... I can't sing..."

Her expression fell with childlike disappointment.

"_But... just once..."_

Her shaking hands rested on his wrists. The cold water combined with her eyes was not helping the Boss.

"Fine." He rested his forehead against hers. "Just this once." Hiei closed his eyes as the water poured down on him. _"You are my world..." _His voice actually changed pitch, matching each and every individual note perfectly. _"The whole world..." _This song... not one person could say that they owned it. Hiei had been taught this song by someone very special. _"There is no one who will ever love you more than me..."_

Hiei could only repeat the lines that his own Mother used to sing to him as the cold water poured down on them.

"_Everything..."_

VI

Kuwabara wiped sweat from his forehead. His hands were covered in grease and he was hot, even if it was a chilly winter's night.

But that's to be expected when working barges. He ran a dirty hand through his hair and yelled up to the captain.

"Hey! Let's call it a night, huh?"

The captain let out two honks of the ship's horn in response. Kuwabara smiled as they steered into port. He shoved his hands into his overalls and began to take out a stick of gum as he jumped onto the dock. He walked away briskly when he saw something clinging to his car.

He tensed as he smelled... fire.

The bargeman approached slowly.

"You! Yeah, you! Who the hell are you?"

His eyes widened as the **thing **jerked up, globs of... junk falling off of it. It slapped a... hand... on the car and pushed itself up. It stumbled forward, jerking and hissing. Kuwabara was frozen in terror. It was like something out of the horror movies that Yukina would watch with him...

"_K-Kazuma Kuwabara..." _The thing gagged. _"Get your ass over here and help your best friend!"_

The Caporegime squinted.

"Yusuke?"

VII

"What the _**fuck **_happened to you?"

Yusuke and Kuwabara were sitting in the Caporegime's boat. Kuwabara was peeling black gook off of the Consigliere, while Yusuke scrubbed his arms and legs.

"Kurama and I were caught up in this blast..." He winced as Kuwabara found a particularly sticky bit of goo that decided to attach to Yusuke's skin. With a quick jerk, all that was left was a bright red mark. "Mukuro went crazy at the International Dinner..."

Kuwabara's mouth dropped.

"As in the _**Queen's **_dinner? What the hell were you guys doing there?"

Yusuke sighed as he looked at his left hand that was picked completely clean.

"Way back in... October or September... back when you were being questioned... Mukuro stormed the Library." Kuwabara was about to open his mouth, but the ex-Detective interrupted him. "Yukina is fine. Her friend Botan got her arm broken really bad, though."

The Caporegime shook his head back and forth slowly.

"Botan... she was a good girl..."

Yusuke smirked and began to work on peeling the melted ash and debris off of his skin.

"That's not even the half of it."

Kuwabara tilted his head to the side, chipping tar off of Yusuke's shoulders.

"What do you mean?"

Yusuke wished that he had a cigarette.

"Our little assistant turned out to be the Queen's daughter."

Kuwabara nodded.

"Yeah, yeah..." Yusuke waited for it. "_**WHAT? BOTAN IS **_**WHO'S **_**DAUGHTER?**_"

VIII

Hiei stopped his singing. He opened his eyes to see that Botan had passed out. He frowned as he stood, taking her into his arms again.

He turned the shower off and sat Botan up on the sink so she was leaning against the mirror. Hiei bit his tongue as he took his katana out of its sheath and brandished it in the bathroom light.

He slashed three times. One. Two. Three.

Her evening gown fell off of her, leaving her in her bra and underwear. The Boss proceeded to dress her in a crappy robe. He carried her to the bed and laid her down on the one side, tucking her under the covers.

He climbed in after her, his eyes feeling droopy.

As he listened to Botan's soft breathing, Hiei began to hum his Mother's song. She made it up herself. He thought it was the most beautiful tune on Earth. And that was the truth.

He turned so he was facing the Princess.

"Don't give up. You're not that weak."

She let out a small whine.

IX

Mukuro opened her eyes, only to scream in agony. Her knee was blown... busted apart by that bitch of a Detective... and her skin was burning. **It was so hot!** She let out a howl as she ripped herself up and off of the steaming ground.

A loud hiss fizzled out of her lips. She quivered as she stood on her good leg, shivering. Hobbling away, she saw that the grenade had left a circle of devastation and flaming chaos in its wake. Each step pulled at her skin.

_**Botan... **_

Mukuro discovered that her cell phone was fused to her hip. Literally.

_**Shit. **_She clung to a tree as her leg rang like a bell that was struck with a heavy mallet. _**As soon as I get to a pay phone... I'm **_**coming **_**for you.**_

X

"A Princess... shit... this is bad."

Kuwabara was currently driving his boat across the river, towards New York. The Detective took a drag of his cigarette.

"Yeah. Now Mukuro's gone ape for this chick... and Hiei... hell, I think he has to know her from somewhere." He leaned in and covered his mouth in a mock gossip way. "Last time we were in the mansion, he was _**kissing **_her."

The Caporegime slapped his forehead.

"Agh...! Hiei what the hell are you thinking?"

Yusuke smirked.

"That was what _I _was thinking." He massaged his temples. "Speaking of stupid decisions, what is this crap I hear about you proposing to Yukina?"

Kuwabara's face paled.

"Sh! Don't say anything! Do you want to spoil it?"

The Advisor shook his head.

"I'm not going to tell _her_, but others will find out. Trust me, there are some people out there who wouldn't want you two to get married."

The Caporegime rolled his eyes.

"Psh. Whatever. If they don't like it, then they can suck my–"

XI

_The tile on the floor was a cool pastel blue. Perfect home for the perfect Mom. The light coming through the windows was soft, even with the hustle and bustle of the city outside. _

"_You are my world. The whole world." She never used to sing. But now... she was sort of subjected to singing. She had to, for her children. "There is no one who will love you more than me..."_

_She hummed lightly and tickled her daughter, earning a giggle from her little angel. She turned to her son, and she picked him up, rubbing their noses together. _

"_Who's my little man? Is it you?" She didn't use baby talk. Just her regular, beautiful voice. "It's you, isn't it?"_

_The boy, the boy with blood red eyes stared back into his Mother's light hazel irises. He didn't laugh. He didn't squeal. What he did do, was smile. It was crooked_,_ maybe a little forced. _

"_I love you."_

_Hiei smiled wider as his Mother sat him down, and she continued to sing. _

"_**You are my world... the whole world..."**_

XII

A/N: Yes, so PLEASE, if you read this, I really want you to leave a review! Just the smallest of thoughts would be really nice. Anyway, once again, I am leaving, and what is in store for this story when I come back is Hiei's past. Don't you want to know how (in this AU) he can be the _**Forbidden Child**_?

(Coughs) so yeah, just um... pleas review! I'll see you all at the 13th!

love,

-mia

p.s. I suck at writing my own song lyrics. I know that they don't rhyme and it doesn't have any rhythm. Hahhaha. Just... if you want to criticize, then do lol.

P.s.s. Sorry if language/ PG-13 content offended you. If it did, please review or message me privately.


	15. Affairs

Three Families : Affairs

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews. Please, keep on leaving them! Oh, and the English think American accents are cute! Holla! Lol hahaha jk. Okay, Read and Review!

I

_Church bells rang loudly overhead. The Nuns and Sisters all walked briskly to the cathedral in the center of town, their long black robes flowing out behind them. The snow was falling lightly, and the entire small town seemed to be lit by the glowing hearts all around. It made all of the Sisters and Nuns happy as they went to the church to pray. _

_As the mass ended, the Nuns dispersed to their convent just two blocks from the Church. A few Sisters, however, were allowed to walk about town. _

_One Sister walked by herself, the moonlight and snow falling around her in a holy manner. People would do a double take, wondering if they had just glimpsed the Virgin Mary._

_As she walked down the streets, she heard a noise. It was sudden and so swift that it made her flinch with fear. Her hazel eyes darted to the side alleyway. In the shadows stumbled a man. His eyes were wild and some of his teeth were broken._

_The Sister's eyes widened as he pulled out a knife, stalking towards her. She couldn't even take a breath to scream. _

_A soft puff was heard, and the man's eyes rolled into the back of his head. He collapsed in a heap of water and carbon into the snow. The Sister was frozen as another shadow emerged, and she saw it tuck a gun away into it's coat jacket. _

"_Happy holidays, Sister..."_

_His voice was rasping badly, and he dropped to his knees. The Sister yelped as he hit the cobble stone road. Looking around, the snow her only bystander, the Sister made a choice. _

II

_Ryu's hazel eyes opened slowly. His chest hurt... and he felt like... he had just been hit by a train. His black hair was stuck to his forehead because of his sweat. He hoped he didn't have a fever. That would suck. _

"_Oh, you're awake."_

_Ryu's heart rate jumped through the roof, his lungs burned with oxygen, and his muscles struggled to moved him up and away from the unknown voice all at once. The ending result was the Boss of the most feared Crime Families in New York almost sliding off of the bed with his hand clasping over his heart. _

_Two delicate hands touched him, moving him back onto the bed. His eyes only caught the blue hair that floated in and out of his vision. Ryu took a few deep breaths as he assessed the situation. He had been shot in the stomach... but he was pretty sure that had taken care of that traitor Bui. What happened after that?_

"_W-where am I?"_

_Ryu grimaced at the sound of his own voice. So soft and weak. It made him want to roll his eyes. His eyes slid to the side where the only light came from a dim lamp. He saw the shadows move and out stepped... a... Nun._

_He was either dead or high. That was his conclusion._

"_You're in New York State, sir."_

_She was young. He could tell by her face and voice. She pulled up a wooden stool next to him and pulled down the sheets. That was when Ryu realized that he was only in his boxers. He almost raised his eyebrows when he remembered that she was a Nun. _

"_Am I in Heaven? Because if I am, tell God that there's been a serious mistake."_

_The Nun chuckled softly as she replaced the bloody bandage that was neatly applied to his stomach. Ryu looked down at his well toned chest to see that he was stitched up. His eyes darted over to the bedside table. On it were his gun and a bloody bullet. _

"_No. You are in my flat." She was still in her uniform... if that is what you would call it. "You shouldn't move a lot for several days."_

_She moved away from him after she had flushed the wound with alcohol, Ryu refusing to make any noises of pain, and replacing the bandage. The Boss watched her long blue hair and robes flow about her. _

"_Hey!" He squirmed under the covers, trying to turn so he could see her. "Hey! What the hell do you want me to do? Hey, __**lady**__! Answer me!"_

_She came back about fifteen minutes later. This time her hair was wet and she was wearing a plain white nightgown. Her eyes met his for about three seconds. _

"_You can stay here until you heal."_

_She set up a sleeping bag on the floor, and before Ryu could recover from the pure shock that was running through his body, the Nun had shut off the light and had settled into her temporary bed. _

III

_Ryu woke up to the ringing of church bells. The clock on the wall told him that it was eleven thirty. He squeezed his eyes shut. __**There's no place like home... There's no place like home...**_

_When he opened his eyes he was still in the same room that he had fallen asleep in. The walls were beige and had only one cross on it. Ryu was still until he could tell that he was alone. _

_With adrenalin to power him, the Boss tried to sit up._

_He couldn't._

_He let the air puff out of his cheeks with frustration. This had to be some sort of trick. He was stuck in the home of a Nun! It just wasn't right! He squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to ignore the sheer wrongness of the situation. _

_That was when the door opened. _

"_It's me, don't worry." The Nun's melodic voice floated to him. Ryu moved his head on his pillow. "I was out at the market. I hope you like eggs."_

_It was like Ryu was in some twisted dream. The Nun appeared, a whicker basket in her hands. She had a smile on her face. The Boss gave her a crooked curl of his lips in return._

"_I love them."_

IV

_Ryu soon found himself staring down at scrambled eggs and two pieces of toast. She propped him up so he was sitting and changed his bandages again. All the attention was making the Boss get a little jumpy._

"_Excuse me, ma'am." The Nun, who had been sitting in a chair, looked up. Her eyes were wide and the slight flush on her face made the Boss think that she was shocked at his formality. "May I use your phone?"_

_She nodded and quickly got up. Ryu stared at his eggs and began to eat them. They were... pretty good. When the Nun came back, she gave him the phone and also spoke to him. _

"_Here." She looked out of the window. "I have to go back to mass soon, and after that we have a charity event that we have to attend..." She looked at the Boss, and realized that he was most likely not interested. "I'll be back in about two hours. Give or take a few minutes."_

_They both nodded at each other as she left. _

_Ryu sighed and chewed on his toast as he dialed Raizen's number. _

"_This better be a beautiful woman or I'm hanging up."_

_The Boss smirked at the Makai's Leader's cocky greeting._

"_Raizen, it's Ryu." He didn't hang up. "Man, I need you. Now."_

_A curt laugh was heard on the other line. _

"_Ha! Keep your pants on, Ryu. I always knew you played for the other team!"_

_The Boss of the Jaganshi Family rolled his eyes. _

"_Shut up. I'm in some city in New York... up where there's a lot of lakes and cabins." His eyebrows were making worry lines on his forehead. "I wacked Bui, but now I'm stuck in some apartment. Get me out. Now."_

_Raizen was talking to someone on his end. _

"_Okay, I'm tracking you..." Ryu heard a keyboard clicking frantically in the background. "Oh ho! The Adirondacks!" The Boss could tell that the other Boss was leaning closer to the computer screen._ _"Ew. You're in some nasty place. What's with all the Nuns?" _

_Ryu sighed dramatically. _

"_I didn't notice anything when I was with Bui. I mean, the only reason I brought him there was to kill him, so who cares if the town was religious or not?"_

_Raizen smirked on the other line. Ryu could hear it in his voice. _

"_Do you want me to come over? See what I can do?"_

_The Boss knew it would be an inconvenience, but he needed to know that he hadn't fallen into some parallel universe. Like the move the Family Man. Ryu couldn't deal with that._

"_Yes. Please."_

"_**Please**__? Wow. I know you're desperate when you're polite."_

_With a click, Ryu was alone again. _

V

_All throughout mass, the Sister's mind flickered to thoughts of the man who was currently taking up residence in her bed. Was he okay? Were the stitches alright? Hopefully they weren't coming undone. _

_It was the longest mass the Sister had ever endured in her life. _

_When she finally was able to have some free time, the Sister hurried back to her flat, her shoes clicking on the stones and her black robes billowing behind her. She quickly unlocked the door and strode inside. _

_She came to a screeching halt when she realized that someone __**else **__was in the room. Other than the man in her bed. Her black robes flew out in front of her from her sudden movement. Her hazel eyes were caught as she stared at the man with wildly long hair and a sinful smile. His eyes widened as he was in mid-sip of his wine. _

_His eyebrows were raised and he put down the glass._

"_Good afternoon, miss." The Sister didn't move. "My name is Raizen, I'm Ryu's friend."_

_She blinked._

"_Ryu?"_

_Raizen frowned and then gestured with this thumb to the man in the bed._

"_This lug didn't introduce himself?" The man with the long hair took a sip of wine as he shook his head with mock disapproval. "Sorry about him. He forgets his manners now and again."_

_The Sister smiled and offered her hand. _

"_I'm sure it was nothing."_

_Raizen took her hand and shook it briskly. _

"_Ah, he's a pushover." He winked. "Anyway, what's your name?"_

_The Sister moved so she was closer to Ryu._

"_Sister Hina Koorime."_

VI

_Ryu wanted to strangle his friend Raizen for making him seem like some snotty five year old. Things took a turn for the worst when Sister Hina excused herself to begin making lunch. The Boss could only watch the other Boss follow her with his eyes out of the room, and then quickly drop down to one knee so they were eye level. _

"_Oh, Ryu, if you let a gal like that get away from you, I will never talk to you again."_

_It was official. Raizen had lost his mind. _

"_**What**__? Are you insane? She's a __**Nun**__! I'm the Boss of a __**Crime Family**__!"_

_The Boss of the Makai Family winked. _

"_Please! With your charm, no woman could stand a chance against you."_

_Ryu rolled his eyes. _

"_No."_

"_Yes."_

"_Absolutely __**not**__."_

"_Positively __**yes**__."_

"_Asshole."_

"_Shithead."_

_The two old friends laughed as Sister Hina came back into the room, sandwiches for both of them. Raizen left soon afterwards, knowing that he couldn't do anything except wait for Ryu to come back to the city. _

_When he left, this odd... and somehow awkward silence fell on Ryu and Sister Hina like an overweight elephant. They sat there, and Ryu __**hated **__the fact that he couldn't say anything too perverse. Hell, he couldn't even swear. _

"_Have you ever been to the big city?"_

_He couldn't help it. He __**had **__to say something. Sister Hina smiled kindly, her hands folded in her lap. _

"_Actually, yes I have." She closed her eyes. "Saint Patrick's Cathedral was amazing!"_

_Ryu finally gave his first true smile since he had landed himself in the Sister's flat. _

"_Isn't it? My Father used to take me to mass their every Sunday."_

"_Really? You're lucky. I've lived in this town my entire life."_

"_You didn't go crazy?" Sister Hina laughed at Ryu's incredulous look. "The city is so exciting! Every minute is a new adventure just waiting to happen!"_

_The Sister crossed her arms, and Ryu saw actual uncensored emotion enter her pure eyes. _

"_Obviously a city boy like you has never been in a country town like this. It's very nice out here. Peaceful... relaxing..."_

"_Boring..."_

_He couldn't help but smirk. She set herself up for that one. Another silence fell, but it wasn't all that uncomfortable. In fact, they were both just recovering from an... amazingly normal conversation. _

_But, as many people have said before, all good things must come to an end._

"_Um... if you don't mind me asking Ryu... who was that man in the alleyway?"_

_Another long silence. The Boss... well... it seemed like he had escaped his position as Boss of the Jaganshi Family since he came to the Adirondacks. Not that he needed escape. _

"_He was a um... co-worker of mine... and... he was... actually you see wasn't really a co-worker he was actually an escaped patient from the insa–"_

"_As a Sister I may have taken the simple vows, but I'm not a fool."_

_Ryu might as well have just been slapped in the face. _

"_I... I uh—"_

"_Ryu, the truth doesn't scare me. I can handle anything."_

_**You're not ready for this...**_

"_My name is Ryu Jaganshi." No response. "You know, __**Jaganshi**__." Nothing. "The __**Jaganshi Family**__..." _

_Sister Hina rose her eyebrows._

"_Is that supposed to mean something to me?"_

_Ryu couldn't decide if he was amazed or horrified at the fact that the Sister didn't have the _**slightest **_idea of what the Jaganshi Family was. It was only the most dangerous Crime Family in New York City. Well, Raizen would beg to differ, but he was a fool._

"_The Jaganshi Family is one out of two Crime Families in New York City. You know, the Mob, Mafia... that's me. I'm the Boss."_

_Another long silence._

"_What if I call the police?"_

_Ryu's eyes became half-lidded. _

"_I'll be gone by the time you hang up the phone."_

"_And if I try to subdue you myself?"_

_Ryu folded his hands in his lap as though he were at a meeting. _

"_Though hurting women and children is against my code, I will have to deal with you by any means possible until your threat has been diminished."_

VII

_The next day, Ryu was walking around the apartment. In fact, he was awake before Sister Hina was. She rubbed her eyes and heard humming in the kitchen. Moving silently, her white nightgown falling around her like an angel's dress._

_She peeked around the corner to see Ryu._

_In a pink apron._

_Flipping pancakes. _

_Giggles made him turn, batter smeared on his cheek. His hazel eyes wide and his lips pulling back into a smile. _

"_Morning, love." He winked. "Hope you like pancakes."_

_Sister Hina grinned. _

"_I love them."_

VIII

_Ryu had no idea how long he stayed with Sister Hina. Many things just blended into one big happy memory. The inside jokes they created. The playful shoves. The long talks on religion, which was very interesting with her. The amused glances. The soft touches when she thought he was sleeping. _

_It was enough to drive them both mad._

_And mad they became. _

_Neither one really knew who 'started it'. It just happened. _

_Sister Hina came in at around seven o'clock at night. She sighed and sat at the foot of the bed, Ryu watching her remove her headdress and run her fingers through her hair. She saw him staring and she smiled at him kindly._

_The next thing they both knew, they were both kissing. It started out sweet, innocent. But Ryu was far from that. _

_His tongue licked at her lips, taking the lower lip into his mouth, nibbling gently. Hina Koorime pulled back, her face bright red. _

"_R-Ryu... w-w-what are you d-doing?"_

_The Boss had a hazed look in his eyes. He had never wanted a woman more. He needed her... to be by him... and that was when it hit him. _

_Ryu Jaganshi had fallen in love. _

"_Kissing you."_

_He pulled her in for another drugging kiss, this time their tongues mingling. Hina let out a low moan, and Ryu couldn't help but smirk. He started to unbutton her dress, and their eyes met. _

_Nothing was said. _

_It didn't need to be. _

_With that glance, Ryu swore to stand by Hina Koorime. He would never leave her, no matter what. With that glance, Hina conveyed how huge the sacrifice was to her. The dangers that would come with it. The sin. The blasphemy. _

_Ryu kissed it all away. Her forehead, her cheek, her neck. He would mutter things, things that Hina might not understand, but he didn't care. Phrases in other languages. French, German, Japanese, Italian... anything that came to his mind. _

_That night... that was the night that Hina Koorime lost her virginity._

_That night... Hina Koorime became pregnant. _

IX

As Hiei lay on the bed, his red eyes traveled to the Princess. Her eyes closed and her chest rising and falling softly. Her arm was across his chest.

_Is she going to be okay?_

She mumbled something in her sleep. For a second, Hiei thought it was his name, but he didn't want to get his hopes up.

_I wonder... is this how Dad first thought about Mom?_

Her fist clenched, his shirt bunching between her fingers. The song floated back over Hiei's mind, and he sat up, ignoring the groan of protest from the Princess of England.

_Did... did Mom really love Dad? Did they really love each other, or did fear make them stay together?_

These were the questions that made Hiei an insomniac some nights. Questions that he wanted... no... needed answers to. But he would never get them.

His Mother and Father were dead. Along with anyone who could possibly supply a halfway respectable answer.

X

A/N: Woof... wow. Pretty good, neh? Okay, PLEASE, _PLEASE _review! I want to know what you think! Did you like how Hiei is the Forbidden Child? (More will come in the next chapter. I promise. Now, I know that this entire chapter was practically a flashback, but Hiei's past is kind of important and long. I will continue with his past next chapter, so if you want more action with a pinch of angst, REVIEW! Please. Ahahah. Europe was amazing!

P.s. I hope there wasn't too much flashback (there probably was). Tell me if you have any suggestions! Yay suggestion box!

P.s.s. Simple vows vows of chastity (no sex)poverty (material dependency), and obedience (religious). These are the vows that Sisters of the Roman Catholic Church swear to. (Thank Wikipedia lol)

-mia


	16. Twins

Three Families : Twins

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Please, I know that you guys like this story, so to show that you do like it (or if you don't) review! I would really like it! Oh, and sorry that I didn't update sooner. I had to get my wisdom teeth pulled, plus the last Harry Potter book has made me get all nostalgic. Read and Review!

I

Hiei woke up early the next morning. He turned and was slightly shocked to see the Princess sleeping next to him, curled against his chest as if they were lovers. The Boss felt a small flush spread across his cheeks... but then he remembered the events that had transpired the last night.

His eyes turned steely and cold as he threw off the blankets and dug around in the dirty drawers in the hotel room. He found jeans and a loose tee shirt. He frowned as he gazed back at the woman who was still sleeping.

_It will have to do for now._

He swiftly tugged on his shirt and pants, then lastly, his overcoat. His red eyes saw that Botan had still not woken up.

Hiei sat on the mattress, feeling it sag under his weight.

"Onna." He shook her shoulders. "Princess, wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open, and he sighed with visible relief to see that they were not as glazed. In fact, with a bit more color to her cheeks, she would have looked normal.

"Mr. Jaganshi?"

The Boss rolled his eyes.

"Call me Hiei. You have been for a long time now."

Botan looked around.

"Where am I?"

Hiei ran his tongue over his sharp teeth.

"A hotel." He got up and pulled her up to meet him. "Put these on, Princess."

Botan gazed at the clothes in his hands and then looked down to see that she was only in her bra and panties. Flushing, she grabbed the clothes and quickly tugged them on as Hiei turned his back to her. It was the most privacy he could give her. He turned when he heard her zip up the fly of the jeans. Grabbing her hand, he dragged her out of the room.

"H-Hiei... where are we going?"

She still was talking in that breathy voice that she had last night. When she asked him to sing.

"Anywhere." His hand quickly snagged her's. "Keep moving."

He was aware that she was barefoot. He left her heels and dress in the hotel bathroom. They wouldn't be needing them. He turned down many avenues and alleyways. The Boss seemed to have a permanent map in his mind.

"Princess, are you familiar with Saint Patrick's Cathedral?"

Botan was breathless as she jogged to keep up, trying not to feel the cool morning air.

"Y-yes."

They went in and out of various streets, the sun not having risen yet. When Hiei stopped, Botan ran into his back. An apology whispered on her lips, but the breath was taken away from her when she looked up.

Looming over them was the Cathedral.

"Come on."

Fingers still entwined, the odd couple walked towards the church.

II

_The next day, Sister Hina didn't show up for Mass. And the day after that, and the day after that. _

_Ryu returned to his urban empire. When he saw Raizen, he had a golden ring on his left hand. The ring finger. Raizen didn't have time to raise his eyebrows when Hina Koorime, or Hina Jaganshi now, walked through the door, smile on her face. _

"_Hello, Raizen."_

_Raizen got up and kissed her hand. _

"_Good morning, Sister Hina."_

_Her eyes dodged his. _

"_It's... it's just Hina now."_

_The Boss of the Jaganshi Family had married a Sister of the Roman Catholic Church. Raizen had been partially joking about seducing the Sister. He didn't think that Ryu would actually go and __**do **__it. _

_A few months later, Ryu changed the Family name from Jaganshi to Koorime. _

_Raizen had Ryu over after a large drug heist. Ryu walked into his friend's penthouse and before he could even take his coat off, he was grabbed harshly by the shoulders and slammed into the wall. _

_Hazel met black as the two companions silently fought each other. _

"_What the __**fuck**__, Raizen?"_

_Ryu shoved the Boss off of him and wiped his mouth._

"_What the fuck do you think you're doing, Ryu? You married a __**fucking **__Nun! Are you out of your mind?"_

_The Boss of the Koorime Family narrowed his eyes dangerously._

"_You don't know shit, Raizen!"_

_The Boss of the Makai Family spat on his rug._

"_Oh yeah? I've read The Da Vinci Code! The Church can be more vicious than we are!" He shook, as if he had just seen some horrifying image. "Those dirty priests can be sons of a bitches." He ran his long nailed hand through his stringy hair. "That is not something I want to see you get caught up in, Ryu."_

_The Boss of the Koorime Family crossed his arms. _

"_It's not just some cover marriage. I love her."_

_The silence told Ryu that Raizen wasn't expecting that. _

"_Even so, the Church wont' stand for it."_

_The Boss of the Koorime Family looked walked to the kitchen table and sat down, pouring himself some liquor. He drank it slowly, and when he was done, Raizen was sitting across from him._

"_She's pregnant." Silence. "With twins."_

_Raizen pulled out a cigarette and took a drag. The two old friends sat in a brooding hush. _

"_Jesus Christ, Ryu." Raizen stood suddenly and walked briskly to the other side of the table. At first, Ryu thought he was going to be punched. Instead, he found himself being swept up in a tight hug. "God bless."_

III

The once Doctor Shuiichi faded back into consciousness. The kind of awareness that one has when they wake up, but your eyes are still closed. The Second in Command tried to open his eyes.

To his horror, they seemed to be melded shut.

The Doctor began to breathe faster and faster. He was panicking and he knew it. How would he help it? Every time his lungs expanded, he heard this crackling. He couldn't see, and he could barely move.

Kurama opened his mouth, the muscles in his jaw struggling to allow his mouth to indeed open. With more sickening cracks, Kurama's lips were able to part, a breathy cry breeching the once quiet air.

With more screams, Kurama was able to dislodge his knees and arms. He kneeled and brought his shaking hands to his face.

He was covered in... hardened gunk. He was starting to hyperventilate, and that couldn't happen. His nimble fingers worked at the melted stuff on his face and tugged it off of his eyes.

The pain made his eyes water as they were exposed to the harsh morning light.

"_Shit!_"

Tears fell from his green eyes. Kurama couldn't fight them. He looked around to see that black _stuff _was all over the ground. He looked at his arms and legs. They were covered in the same, mysterious substance.

Emerald eyes swept the area and saw a lump big enough to be human caked under the plastic like material. Kurama staggered over to it, the material flaking off of him as he moved his joints. The Doctor touched the lump. It didn't move.

With a savage ferocity, the Second in Command ripped at the hard black plastic. When he removed it, he saw the black material of a ripped up tux.

Kurama moved quicker, sweat pouring out of him as he unearthed Jin. He was getting dizzy as his arms plunged under the black mess and yanked Jin up into his arms.

"Jin!" He shook the young, Irish boy. "**Jin!** Wake up!"

The boy moaned, his hands twitching weakly. The only way that Kurama knew it was Jin was because of his bright green eyes. It was the only part of his face that wasn't covered by the black solid... stuff.

"Blimey..." The Irishman slowly blinked himself awake. "What happened?"

Kurama pulled the Solider to his feet.

"I don't know. But we've got to get out of here and back to New York City."

Jin was walking a bit sloppily. The light combined with dizziness didn't help him get his mind in sorts.

"Why? What's the rush?"

Kurama grabbed the boy's wrist and pulled him through the forest.

"We have to find Hiei and Botan."

Jin's bones ached.

"But we don't even know where they are!"

Kurama winced at the whine his the Solider's voice. It was a reminder to him as to how young Jin was.

"Yes we do." The two men panted as they made it to the highway. Kurama pulled out a gun out of his melted tuxedo. "They'll be at Saint Patrick's Cathedral."

IV

"_It's going to be okay, Hina!"_

_Hina Jaganshi screamed, tears falling out of her eyes. Ryu clasped her hand in his tightly. _

"_**Ryu... it hurts...**__"_

_Ryu kissed her hand over and over. _

"_I know it hurts, baby, just hang in there for me."_

_The Boss had to bite his lips so he didn't cry. He hated to see his wife in pain. His love. The doctor was dictating basic labor procedures to Hina. He frowned, saying that she was awfully tight for a woman such as herself. _

_**Well she was a damn virgin not so long ago!**_

_Ryu thought that his hand was going to snap off, that's how hard Hina was squeezing it. Suddenly, it went slack and two high pitched cries were heard. Ryu gazed at his wife. She was still alive, thank God, and her eyes were hooded as she panted. _

_The doctor walked to her bedside, his arms full with two wrapped beings. _

"_Here ma'am. Twins. One boy, one girl."_

_Hina's eyes filled with tears. _

"_They're beautiful." _

_The doctor left the room for a brief moment. Ryu Jaganshi bit his knuckles, tears falling from his eyes. _

"_Hina... oh God..."_

_She held the two newborns in her arms. They had slowly fallen quiet, their eyes closed as they breathed slowly. _

"_The boy's name is Hiei." _

_Ryu smiled._

"_And the girl?"_

_Hina sat back in the bed, her shoulders sagging from all of the work she had been put through. All that pain, all the screams, were all worth it for the priceless gems she held close to her chest. _

"_Yukina." Her eyes closed. "Yukina Jaganshi."_

V

Yusuke and Kuwabara woke up around eight o'clock in the morning. The two friends tugged on clothes roughly and jumped off of the boat, onto the dock. They began to jog to the age old rendevous.

Saint Patrick's Cathedral.

"Are you sure Hiei wants to see me? He really doesn't like me all that much..."

The Consigliere panted.

"Shut up, Kuwabara. Hiei needs all the help he can get right now."

The Caporegime licked his lips.

"What if he isn't there?"

Yusuke's brown eyes narrowed. He didn't want to think about that possibility. If Hiei wasn't at that church... it would mean a lot of things. One: Hiei was dead. Two: Botan was most likely dead. Three: If all of the above was true, America could be facing an International crisis.

"Then we're in deep shit."

Kuwabara and Yusuke were a bit short of breath when they stepped into the shadow of the Cathedral. Their eyes looked up at the magnificent architecture. The Caporegime sighed.

"Is it always this amazing?"

The sun was minutes from rising. The Consigliere had a small smile on his face.

"Every time."

Walking in pace, the two old friends walked swiftly to the high doors, pushing them open. The wind blew their hair back and Yusuke's heart stopped when he couldn't find the Boss.

That was when his eyes landed on raven black hair next to a blue tinted head. They ran up to them, their feet echoing on the stone slabs. When Yusuke stopped, he saw the Princess. His stomach dropped into a dark abyss.

Her pale face and slightly jumpy eyes told the Detective that she was still in shock.

VI

"_Happy Birthday to you... happy birthday to you..." Ryu and Yukina sang out, a perfect soprano and tenor harmony. "Happy birthday Yukina and Hiei... happy birthday to you!"_

_The two five-year olds were presented with two slices of vanilla cake. Hiei and Yukina smiled and poked at their dessert. Ryu kissed them both on the forehead. _

"_Sorry, loves, but Daddy's got to go to work."_

_Yukina kissed her father on the cheek while Hiei received an extra shuffle of his hair. Ryu Jaganshi left, Hina Jaganshi staying at home. _

_The former Sister hummed her song to her darling twins. _

_It was the perfect birthday. _

_Yukina and Hiei shared a room. The two siblings played with stuffed animals until dark. Yukina fell asleep with an elephant in her arms. Hiei had a pink mouse in his grasp. Hina opened the door quietly, sweeping up the two twins in her arms and tucking them into the bed that they shared. _

_A few hours later, Hiei woke up. He wasn't sure why he decided to rise to the land of the conscious, but he was pulled from dreamland anyway. _

_The short black-haired boy slipped out of bed, scuttling to the doorway. He reached up on tiptoe to twist the golden knob. The small boy's stubby fingers dragged across the walls as his red eyes narrowed in the darkness as he struggled to see. _

_He thought of calling out to his Mother, but a tingle in the back of his neck told him otherwise. _

_He went to his Mom's bedroom. It was empty. He went to the bathroom. Empty._

_That was when he looked inside the kitchen. His red eyes widened as he slid to the floor, trying to become as small as possible._

"_Hina Koorime... you abandoned God, you __**whore**__!"_

_Hiei saw his Mother on the floor. She was crumbled, and she was holding her face. _

"_I-I didn't a-a-a-abandon G-God, Father."_

_The man who was standing over her was wearing a black dress with a white collar. He was holding what looked like to be a club. It might have been a baseball bat._

"_**Slut! You dare defy the church! Burn in Hell!**__" The man raised the bat. "Where are your children?"_

_Hiei almost wet himself at the loathing in the stranger's voice. _

"_N-Never..."_

_The man was silent for a moment, but then brought down the club. Over and over again, the same disgusting squashing sound issuing from Hiei's once living and beautiful Mother. _

_The twin finally regained his senses and ran back to his room, slamming the door shut behind him. His arms shook as he quickly twisted the lock. His sister had woken up, rubbing her hazel eyes. _

"_Brother... what's wrong?"_

_The boy flinched as the door was banged on. The man's voice was screeching on the other side._

"_**Abomination! Forbidden Child!"**_

_Hiei quickly grabbed his sister and dragged her out of bed. Her breaths came quicker._

"_What's wrong? Who is that?"_

_Hiei didn't answer he as he climbed up top of their toy chest and opened the window. He pulled her up to the ledge._

"_Go on. Out to the fire escape."_

VII

Kurama and Jin burst through the doors. They ran down the aisle, black funk falling off with each and every step. Hiei turned, his eyebrows raised at what he saw.

"Christ, what happened to you two?"

The Caporegime perked up.

"That was the same stuff that Yusuke was covered in!"

The Princess got up on her feet, as well as the Boss. Hiei went to Kurama while Botan went to Jin. Botan began to peel off the waxy mess off of Jin's face.

"Ow!"

The Princess winced.

"Sorry."

Her accent was still there. The Irishman was silent as she continued to pull the black stuff off of him. Hiei grimaced as he peeled a long strip off of Kurama's back.

"What is this stuff?"

The Second in Command closed his eyes and clenched his teeth as Hiei removed a piece from his neck.

"When we were fighting Mukuro, the ash from Botan's Aunt's house was floating around us like snow." He hissed as Hiei ripped a bit of his hair out by accident. "When the grenade went off, I'm guessing that all of us were blown back by the blast... and the ash was melted by the intense heat."

Botan removed the last of the melted ash from the Solider.

"How did you survive?"

A long silence graced the Cathedral.

"A miracle."

The group stood there until Hiei spoke up after giving Kurama one last look-over.

"Let's go." They walked towards the exit of the Cathedral. "We're going to have to get some help if we want to bring down the Makai Family."

VIII

_The two twins ran down the fire escape. Yukina wasn't crying, but her face was white a sheet. When they reached the bottom of the well, they ran off into the street, their bare feet slapping on the pavement. _

"_Come on. Hurry up."_

_Hiei's hands were tightly grasping her wrists. _

"_Brother, you're hurting me!"_

_Hiei didn't loosen his grip as he pulled her down the streets. The flickering street lamps their only light. The black-haired twin and his sister stopped in front of an orphanage, panting, doubling over as they tried to catch their breath._

"_Yukina." She looked up. "You're... you're going to go in there." He breathed deeply. "Go in there and tell them that you are an orphan."_

_That was when her tears began to fall._

"_Mom and Dad–"_

"_They're not coming back."_

_The two kids stood on the stoop of the dreary looking orphanage. _

"_I love you."_

_Her speech was erratic. Hiei squeezed his eyes shut, tears falling from those blood red eyes. _

"_I... I..." He hugged his sister close. "I love you too."_

_He opened the door, and Yukina stepped inside. _

"_You're not coming with me?"_

_Hiei shook his head, his face far too solemn for a five year old._

"_No."_

_One child was now in the doorway, while one remained outside in his pajamas, shivering from the cold._

"_Am I ever going to see you again?"_

_Yukina's eyes continued to leak. Hiei couldn't lie to her._

"_Probably not."_

_Yukina's hands flew up to her face, heart wrenching sobs taking over her entire body. The door swung shut, and the street lamp went out. _

_When it flickered to life, Hiei Jaganshi was gone._

IX

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. Now I split up the flashbacks, so PLEASE leave a review if you read this story! Thank you. I mean, I would really, really like to hear your thoughts on this. The traumatic childhood, or the reuniting of our favorite gang? Your words and suggestion mean the most to me! It would make the pain of my missing wisdom teeth go away!

-mia

p.s. Was everything in character? I hope the cursing didn't bother anyone.


	17. The Wish

Three Families : The Wish

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, but seriously, I mean, are you guys getting tired of this story? It kind of seems like it. Well, Read and Review! Please!

I

Eggs sizzled on a pan. Flip. Phshhh. Repeat.

"Well, Princess, what do you suggest?"

Botan was cooking as the Jaganshi Family members spoke in hushed voices in Kurama's apartment. She had showered. She had gotten some clothes that fit her. She was refreshed. Still a bit shocked, but she was going to be okay.

At least... that was what she kept telling herself.

"Do you think I would be safe in England?"

Her accent wasn't hidden. Not from them. Yusuke was smoking. Kuwabara was chewing gum. Jin was staring at his hands. Kurama was drinking tea. Hiei was staring at her. The Consigliere took the cigarette out of his mouth, the smoke curling up around his nose.

"Hiei, didn't you once have a hit on someone in Germany or something like that?"

The Boss's chin rested on his fist.

"France. It only took a month."

The Princess frowned. Sizzle. Flip. Pshhh. Repeat.

"I... never in my entire life could I have seen this happening to me."

The voice was hoarse and it came from Jin. His slightly upturned nose and his freckles only made him look younger than he already was. Kurama patted him on the shoulder.

"You've done great."

Jin didn't look convinced, but he remained silent. Hiei's teeth grinded against each other. He was a **Boss**, and it seemed like he was powerless in the face of evil.

"We should lay low. Like we normally do." Instantly, Boss of the Jaganshi Family mode turned on. "Yusuke, go scope out the town. Tell me what you see, hear, and even smell."

The Advisor got up, smiling.

"You got it, sir."

Out the door he went.

"Kurama, go back to your private house and get every medicine you have ever brewed. You never know what we might need." The former doctor nodded and left. "Kuwabara..." Hiei grimaced, a sign that did not go unnoticed. "Go to Yukina. Come back when I call you."

"Really?" Hiei nodded, his frown still horribly apparent. "_**Yes!**_"

Hiei pulled his face down with his hands as Kuwabara left.

"Jin... I need you to run an errand for me." The boy didn't say anything, his eyes still glued to his hands. "You're delivering a package to Saint Michael's Orphanage."

Botan watched as Jin's eyes misted over, watering as he stood and simply waited for Hiei to retrieve his package. It was a plain cardboard box. The Irishman took it, still a bit dazed as he walked out the door.

The Princess shut off the burners.

"Hiei, are you hungry?"

"No."

Botan scraped the eggs into the garbage, the entire morning wasted.

II

"Scalpel."

A drill whirred. Bright lights heated up the small and stuffy room.

"Give me that morphine. I don't want her getting back to her senses yet!"

Pliers, screwdrivers, and melding tools were on a metal table. Some were soaked in a sticky dried black substance.

"Attach those wires there. _**Now! **_Her eye is opening! Hurry and attach them to the nerves before she becomes fully conscious!"

Mukuro, Boss of the Makai Family, now opened her brown eye. The pupil was dilated, and her lips were way too dry. Her limbs... she could only feel her left arm and leg. The light centered above her body burned her iris. She squinted.

"Whuah... whuah..."

Her mouth was swollen. She closed her eye for a few moments.

"Mukuro, we're almost done. Just relax and go back to sleep. It's going to be over soon." A man was looming over her, his face covered in a surgeon's mask, picked up a small electric saw. It shrieked and the Boss watched with a wide eye as it lowered to her right side of her body.

"_**Whoa... whoa!**_"

She was trying to say, 'No... no!". Her body clenched and she clenched her eyes shut.

Nothing happened.

Her brown eye opened wide, tears spilling out of it. She could feel her entire body quake as the saw passed through her flesh.

_**But she felt no pain.**_

III

Two slender hands folded themselves in a lap. Blue hair fell in front of pink eyes as the Princess's lips twitched in what could have been a sad smile.

"This is going to sound stupid... but at a time like this... when I could die at any moment... I figure I've got nothing to lose."

Hiei was unrolling maps of the city. His cloak was on and he kept on gazing at all of the Makai territory. His red eyes were glued to the table as he grunted for her to continue.

"Hn."

Botan let her head tilt back, her eyes sliding to the window.

Outside, it was just beginning to snow.

"After... after I first met you, that day... all those years ago."

"_T-they l-l-left me a-a-again!" Botan was rubbing her eyes. "I can't find them!"_

"Every once and a while, when I was least expecting it, my thoughts would stray to you."

_The Christmas Tree was bright and the snow was making the little Princess's skin raw._

"Just little queries. I wondered how you were doing. Where you were. If you were still... alive."

_Pink eyes met crimson irises. _

"_Onna, stop crying and follow me." His hand grabbed her wrist. "Move fast."_

"Deep down... I always had this wish to see you again." She let out this deep guttural sound that could have passed for a strangled laugh. "Stupid wish, huh?"

IV

Yusuke wrapped a scarf around his neck, shoving his hands into his pockets. He pushed open a door to a local diner. The warm air from the heater made his eyes roll with pleasure as he sat down in a lonely little booth.

He ordered a coffee and sat back, ears open and eyes closed.

"Blimey, would you get a load of this _shit?_"

"Ugh! Cor that's nasty!"

Two male voices chortled.

"Leave it to Americans to ruin a good cup of coffee."

The Advisor's eyes cracked open. He was surrounded by Brits. He flipped open his cell phone and hit SEND twice.

"What do you got?"

Hiei's flat voice was heard on the other side. Yusuke sighed and sipped his coffee. _Christ, it's not __**that **__bad. _

"You know our good city?" He looked around the building, all the Brits munching with a partner or themselves. "It's been overrun by the same crazy cats that taxed and oppressed us way back when."

Hiei, a history buff, was silent for a little while.

"What are they eating?"

Yusuke used the back of his phone as a mirror, raising his eyebrow.

"Nothing... they just have cups of coffee or tea." He coughed. "If you don't mind me saying, they bitch way too much about it."

Another pause. On the other end, Hiei could hear muffled voices.

"Okay. It's probably the British Guard." Hiei took a small breath. "Think CIA only better."

Yusuke moved his lips so that they were in a jutting out frown.

"I'll head back to your place then. Until then, cheers."

Yusuke flipped his phone shut, leaving a ten dollar bill under his unfinished cup of coffee, walking past all of the agents who were still disgusted over their mediocre coffee.

V

Kurama walked briskly down an alley way in the upper East Side. He stopped at what looked like a porthole.

Bending down, he pushed down the one screw that on the far left. Then the one directly counter clockwise from it.

With a whir and click, the porthole lowered and then shifted to the side. The doctor smiled and put his foot on the first rung of the built in ladder. As his red head disappeared down below, the porthole closed above him, the alleyway returning to it's original abandoned state.

His hand flicked a light switch. Rows and rows of lights flickered on in what was, to put it bluntly, an underground warehouse. It was single story, but at least three stories long.

Shelves of bottles and ancient formulas were stacked in endless rows. Jars of herbal pastes that were cures for ailments from skin cancer, heart damage, and even muscle tears. Clear glass flasks with small droppers. Liquid that would throw a human being into a coma, keep them awake for seven days straight, or kill them. Some death potions were only temporary, one of Kurama's personal favorites.

Kurama opened a suitcase he had and began to restock his stash, also storing some jars, bottles, and powders in the pockets of his coat.

By the time Kurama left, he felt like he was ready for anything.

VI

"_Mhm..."_

_Hiei lay in bed, Mukuro's arms thrown over him. The Second in Command felt his eyes try and tug themselves shut as the heroin took hold of his nervous system. His arms ached from all the needles that Mukuro and him and shared. _

_As his red eyes began to get unfocused, an image flashed in his mind. _

"_**That is how we thank people in our family..."**_

_Hiei Jaganshi sat up, his head spinning. Why... of all times, did he think of __**her? **__After sex? After a meeting with the Bosses of New York? It didn't make sense. _

"_**Thank you... for helping me."**_

Hiei had his head in his hands, massaging his temples.

"Your wish... it's not as ludicrous as you imagine."

_The little girl, so frightened and alone, it reminded the young boy of when he was younger. Terrified of being murdered. Terrified of his sister being harmed. Hiei could not help but feel some ounce of compassion for her. _

"I too..."

_As Ryu spoke about working as one with the Makai Family, his arm linked with Raizen's, Hiei could not listen. His mind drifted off to that odd encounter many years ago. Even as Mukuro desperately tried to ensnare his eyes, Hiei would not have it. _

"_**I-I-I'm lost..."**_

"I thought of when we ran into each other... and wondered what you were doing..."

VII

Jin opened the heavy door of the orphanage. He had the box in his hands, his palms leaving sweaty marks on it as a bell rang overhead. He stood awkwardly, his green eyes full of a fear, but not of death. Of confrontation.

A Nun walked up to him, her black dress flowing behind him.

"May I help you sir?"

She was old, wrinkles around her mouth and eyes. The younger man offered her the box.

"My family would like to donate to you."

The Sister took the cardboard box and smiled graciously as she walked further into the building, silently telling Jin to follow her.

"Thank you." Her footsteps echoed off of the high walls. "We've always accepted donations from contributors, and I must say, you never fail us every year." She chuckled a bit, and Jin couldn't see her face, he still walked behind her. "This same day. I wonder, what is the importance of today, besides it being Christmas?"

_Hiei must make a donation every year on Christmas Day._

When the Nun turned for an answer, Jin was gone.

VIII

Dust floated in the sunlight. It mimicked the snowflakes outside.

Yukina stood in the Library. Dead on the inside.

Months ago, Botan's apartment had exploded. She never came back to work, and her body was never found. Was she alive? Was she dead? No one knew.

_If she was in trouble... she could have told me..._

Hazel eyes closed for a long time. Too long to be a blink.

_Don't think like that! She's still alive. Somewhere, Botan is still alive and well!_

Yukina didn't hear the footsteps creak on the old wood flooring. She didn't feel the eyes on her, peeking through the old books. The daughter of a Nun didn't look up until a book was placed on the front desk.

"Thinking about me?"

The young woman froze. At first, she didn't dare look up. If she did... and Kazuma wasn't there, then she was going to die. If this was just an illusion, her soul wouldn't be able to take the loss of her boyfriend and her best friend.

Her eyes slowly lifted to stare into the black eyes of Kazuma Kuwabara.

"Hey, babe."

Thought process crashed for Yukina. She forgot that she was working. That she was in public. That she was a shy girl. Against all logic, she lunged forward and locked lips with the man, surprising him, to say the least.

His eyes were wide as his arms quickly flew to her sides, to catch her. She pulled back, tears spilling out of her deep eyes.

"Where did you go? Why were you gone for so long?" She hugged him tightly, her knees up on the table, the light from outside pouring on her, the shadows cold and harsh. "W-why did you l-leave me?"

Kuwabara's shoulders relaxed as he stroked her blue hair. God, he loved her. He closed his eyes and sighed, tightening his hold on her.

"It was nothing, babe. Just a misunderstanding." He kissed her cheek lightly. "I'm back, and I'm never leaving you again."

Yukina pulled Kuwabara forward, so he got up on the table and slid down so he was with her.

"B-Botan's gone... I d-don't know where she is... everything is just upside down..."

The Caporegime rose an orange eyebrow.

"Botan? She's fine. I just saw her, with Hiei."

The Librarian's eyes widened.

"Really? Is she okay? What happened to her?"

Kuwabara only paused for a while. Her question fell on semi deaf ears. He hadn't seen her in what seemed like an eternity. The smell of her hair, the love in her eyes, it was enough to drive any man crazy.

"Yukina, she's fine. Trust me, Hiei's taking good care of her..."

He lowered his head and caught her lips. With his big, calloused hands, he lowered her to the floor. He began to unbutton her blouse, his hands trembling slightly.

"Mmf... Kuwabara..." Her head tilted back and his lips touched the side of her neck. She let out a soft whimper as he pulled her closer to him, sliding her shirt off of her shoulders. "N-not h-h-here... someone could w-w-walk in."

She stuttered, half because of embarrassment. Half because of the desire and lust slurring her speech.

He smirked and kissed her forehead, his arms snaking around her waist. He flicked the back of her bra.

"I haven't seen you in so long." He lost himself in a gravity defying kiss. Yukina sighed when he pulled back, unconsciously leaning forward, her eyes closing. "I can't... I can't wait..."

His hands were so rough, but never had Yukina complained as they grazed her smooth skin. He unhooked her bra, and just as he was about to slide it off of her shoulders, his cell phone rang. Two orange eyebrows furrowed with frustration. With one arm still wrapped around the waist of his girlfriend, he used the other to dig into the back pocket of his pants. He flipped open the phone, Yukina pressing small butterfly kisses into the crook of his neck as he held the phone to his ear.

"Yeah?"

There was a bit of static, but the Boss's tenor voice came through.

"Get back here. Now."

Kazuma gazed down at the little maiden before him.

"I'll be a little late."

"No you won't**. You are coming here now.**"

The ice cold tone of Hiei's voice almost made Kuwabara shiver. The Caporegime shut his phone and sighed disdainfully.

"Sorry, babe." He clipped her bra back on and pulled on her shirt, buttoning it slowly. "Duty calls."

Yukina was helped up, lips swollen, and she fell into a graceless hug as her boyfriend pulled her to him.

"Promise to come over later?"

"Promise."

IX

"_Botan?" Ryu frowned, his hand on his chin. "Never heard that name before." Hiei felt his shoulders dip slightly in disappointment. Her rich Aunt and Uncle could have been a part of a crime family, but that didn't seem to be the case. "Why?"_

_The Boss of the Koorime Family watched as his Second in Command looked away._

"_It's nothing."_

"I looked for you." Hiei was now leaning across the table. "All of my resources couldn't dig anything."

_The Princess stared down Times Square. She was older now, about thirteen. She saw the pickpockets, but not one of them was the little boy that had saved her, all those years ago._

"_Miss, what's wrong? We've got to get to Sax's." _

_Her Aunt grabbed her wrist, dragging Botan away. _

"I did too. Whenever I was in Times Square, my eyes would be open for you."

They were getting closer, harsh red eyes meeting open pink orbs. Two souls. One was made of stone, seeing the harshness of humanity at a young age. The other, of royal blood, innocent.

_In two worlds, Hiei and Botan would close their eyes, thinking of the time when they each met that special stranger. To their kiss... "Let me... pay you back..."_

Lost in thoughts, memories, and new emotions... the thrill of risk. With the underline tone of... of... something forbidden. The fruit that kills, but still calls you.

As the Princess and the Boss let their lips clash, thoughts vanished. All that existed was them. Unbridled passion. Hiei's hands swept over Botan's shoulders. The Princess's hands grabbed his shirt, using fistfuls of his tie and jacket to anchor herself.

X

Mukuro arose from the grey haze of her brain. Her left side of her body moved. She sat up, hissing as some of her skin, burned, stuck to the metal table.

That was when she saw her right arm.

The shine of metal almost blinded her. The air left her lungs as she moved her fingers, intricate wires and thin pipes shifting, grinding, with her ever impulse. Her brown eye slid down to her right leg.

It too was metal. Each and every one of her toes were clumps of metal.

_I'm more machine than I am human..._

She stood, wavering a bit. She was naked. It didn't matter to her. She walked slowly to the door, swinging it open.

Her Soldiers gazed up, some a bit flustered at her nude body.

"Get me my clothes."

A man got up, running to do her request. She grabbed a glass that was one the table. She took it in her right hand, and squeezed.

It shattered.

_Yes..._

It took the smallest of whims for her to destroy things. Her Soldier brought her black fighting pants and a red shirt. The Boss of the Makai Family dressed right there, flexing her fingers and toes.

_No more games. _

She walked to the door without a word. She had a thin scarf around her neck.

_It's time._

Her belt sagged with two pistols, two daggers, and a set of throwing knives.

_I'm going to kill the Princess._

Her hips swayed as she walked down the street.

_And Hiei soon after._

Her footsteps echoed like dry cracks of a whip. Her shadow jumped in the street lamps as she got used to walking with metallic machine limbs.

_It's going to be beautiful. _

XI

A/N: Trust me, next chapter, you are not going to be let down. Please... PLEASE review! I mean, is there something wrong, because the reviews have not really been holding up. I just want to know if you like/don't like it. Anyways, tell me what you think.

-mia


	18. Pulse

Three Families : Pulse

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! Yay, I broke the two hundred mark! Okay, back to business, please read and review this chapter. I know that it might be a hassle, but I REALLY do read all of them and appreciate every single one. Thank you! Read and Review!

I

_Hiei heard harsh knocking on his door. He looked over to his side, where a sleeping Mukuro should have been, but she was gone. Rubbing crimson eyes, Hiei walked to the door, swallowing a yawn. _

_He tugged on a robe. The knocking just continued to get louder. _

"_I heard you the first time!" He rubbed his one eye again. "Christ."_

_That was when he opened the door. _

_Standing outside, face covered in blood, was a grinning Mukuro._

II

Botan moaned when Hiei licked her bottom lip. Her face was pink as Hiei's right hand cupped her cheek, stroking it with his thumb. He pulled away, and about three seconds later, Botan opened her eyes.

Hiei was staring at her. The Princess wished that she had the stone cold eyes that he had. She couldn't read him if her life depended on it.

His thumb dragged itself on her bottom lip, both of them unconsciously leaning towards each other.

"They'll be here soon."

Botan could barely bring herself to nod before he kissed here again, his hands now becoming bolder. Massaging her hips. Running through her hair.

This time, when he pulled back, his breaths were just as shaky as hers.

"We're going to move out."

III

Yusuke and Kurama both met up at the same time outside of the apartment complex. Kurama had two leather suitcases in his hands, his long coat hanging low. The ex-Detective smirked at the slightly out of breath doctor.

"You really did get _**everything**_, didn't you?"

The doctor had a shameless smile on his face. A rare occurrence these days.

"You never know what I might need."

Yusuke opened the door and let Kurama going first. He was just about to slip inside himself when he heard loud footsteps on the asphalt. There was Jin jogging down the sidewalk. His eyes were hard, and Yusuke thought he was looking at the eyes of a soldier that had just come back from a horrible war.

"Hey."

That's all the nineteen year old said to the ex-Detective. _Hey. _The Soldier pushed past Yusuke, rushing up to the room. Yusuke didn't say anything as he just widened his eyes with annoyance, closing the door as he went inside.

IV

"_**What the **__**fuck**__** happened to you?"**_

_Hiei pulled Mukuro inside. She was giggling, a... what looked like a pirate's eyepatch... over her one eye. Lots of blood was dried around it, her bangs stuck to her forehead._

_She grabbed his hands, which were slippery and colored crimson. _

"_I did it! I've freed us!"_

V

"The British are invading again."

Yusuke's arms were crossed. Botan frowned, the blush that had once been on her cheeks now faded.

"My Mother is looking for me." She stared out into the city lights as night began to fall on New York City. "She's sent her best soldiers overseas."

Jin was silent, as well as Kurama. Hiei's two black eyebrows were pushed so far together that it almost looked like he had a uni-brow.

"They could get in the way... or... help us."

"It's too risky." Kurama's hands were folded together. "Once they see Botan, rescue the Princess mode will kick in and I'm pretty sure that they'd shoot us down without much thought."

Hiei was quiet. He felt something in the wind. A dark cloud moving overhead. The snow that fell outside reminded him of ashes from a volcano. _But just __**what **__volcano erupted?_

"There's a harbor south of here. We could make it on foot."

Jin's Irish filled voice spoke up. He was hoarse. Hiei's eyes narrowed.

"What?"

The boy straightened his back, trying to build up confidence.

"We should go the harbor." He met Hiei's blood red eyes full on. "If Mukuro came out to us in a boat, we'd be able to see her." The Irishman cleared his throat. "Plus, we'd be able to take Botan _**out **_New York. Possibly... back to England."

VI

Botan was wrapped up in a large jacket, hood up. She carried a box full of guns, explosives, and various other sorts of illegal weaponry. Her blue hair was tied back as they all traveled in various alleyways of New York City.

Jin was the leader, followed by Kurama, then Kuwabara, then Botan, then Yusuke, and the one bringing up the end of the line. The Princess looked behind her. _This has got to be the __**oddest **__group of people I've ever seen._

Kurama had a boat that was docked down at the southern harbor. The smell of fish wafted up in Botan's nostrils. _We're close. _

VII

The snow's chill made bumps rise on Mukuro's smooth skin. Well, what was left of her skin. A brown eye narrowed as she stalked the streets.

_Where are you, Princess?_

Her mechanical fist clenched.

_I want to show you something..._

The Boss of the Makai Family opened the door to a restaurant. She slammed the door behind her, startling the cooks.

"So... what is the word on the street these days?" The old man's wrinkled eyes were glued to her arm and leg. "About Hiei." Still, the old cook said nothing. _**"Now."**_

He jumped.

"He's been seen h-h-heading to the southern port."

Mukuro's thin lips curled slightly.

"Good." She turned to leave. "But wait..." She stopped. She did need to test out her new limbs on a human being... "Old man, come here."

VIII

_Mukuro walked past Hiei, laughing uncontrollably. _

"_Hiei! I've made us Bosses!" She grabbed his hands and held them tightly as she looked into his eyes. "We'll rule this city together. Just the two of us!"_

_The Boss of the once Koorime Family paled. _

"_Mukuro... what did you do?"_

_She grinned, the dried blood on her face cracking while the still leaking blood ran over it. _

"_You're the Boss of the Koorime Family now. And I'm the Boss of the Makai Family!"_

IX

Feet whispered on the sidewalks. White fog puffed out from open mouths.

"_This way."_

"_Do you think she's alive? Mukuro, I mean."_

"_Sh!"_

Hiei and Botan looked at each other, both silent. The shadows of the night seem to sway like cattails. The Princess shivered and continued to move. It was silly, but she felt eyes on her.

"_If we survived the blast... then couldn't there be a chance–?"_

"_I said be quiet!"_

The group was no longer a straight line, but a huddle so that Botan was in the middle. Her blue hair was beginning to fall out of her hood.

"Hiei...?"

The Boss of the Jaganshi Family looked at her, his eyes darting to the side.

"Hn?"

They turned down another alleyway. They were getting closer. The smell of the salt and fish was almost overpowering.

"_**I don't think we are alone..."**_

It was only then that they heard a shrill screech above them. And the shadows on the ground began to move.

X

Jin's eyes widened in horror as he watched Mukuro's body leap into the air, glowing in the moonlight. Her brown hair waved as her single eyes settled on the Princess.

Kurama, who had glanced the Boss of the Makai Family for just a bit, soon became preoccupied with the shadows. The seemingly flat shadows gained mass and drew weapons. The silver shined as the blackness all around them drew their arms and fired.

Kuwabara and Yusuke whirled around, back to back, and drew their weapons.

"Don't move!"

Yusuke shouted, his voice hard with authority. Kuwabara had two pistols while Yusuke had one.

"Show yourselves!"

Hiei whipped out his katana.

"Botan, get down!"

The Princess obeyed and ducked as Hiei shed his jacket, letting it crush the ground below it. Botan's hand got stuck under it, and her pink eyes widened. Hiei's jacket was riddled with weights. It had to be at least one hundred and fifty pounds. Probably more.

Hiei launched into the air and swung his sword at the Boss. A former lover. Now an enemy. A murderer.

That was when he met her metal arm and leg. Her right arm connected with his katana. Her hand wrapped their steel fingers around it. As they both fell to the ground, Mukuro smirked, her one eye crinkling as the fire blazed behind the brown.

"Hello, Hiei." She held his sword and punched him square in the jaw with her left hand of flesh and blood. "As you can see... I've changed."

They both landed, Mukuro on her right leg and Hiei on both.

Immediately, Mukuro's right fist began to swing for Hiei. He ducked, just in time, but he saw and heard the bricks in the building crack and crumble. Hiei sprung up and tried to slice right through her new metal appendage.

But to no avail.

That was when a barrage of bullets blasted at Mukuro. _Ping! _Most of them bounced off of her right arm and leg. The rest grazed Hiei's chest and his left ear. The Boss spun around to Hiei, who was still on his guard, ignoring his bleeding ear.

"Who the **fuck **are they?"

She was furious. Her cheeks were ablaze as her hips swayed. Hiei narrowed his eyes.

"I was about to ask _**you **_the same thing."

Loathing saturated his every breath. Yusuke and Kuwabara still had two small groups of the shadow men frozen, their guns frozen on Mukuro. Before the dark men could move into the light or voice words, Mukuro whipped out a gun and shot one of the men.

That was when all hell broke loose.

XI

"_You're the new Boss!" She was pacing about, the blood still pouring out from under the eye patch. "I've taken care of everything."_

_Hiei was beginning to feel lightheaded. _

"_Where's Ryu?" Mukuro stopped. She turned, giving him a look that said that he should know of all people. Hiei's eyes traveled to her hands. Her bloody hands. "And Raizen? Where the __**fuck **__is he?"_

_Her one eye blinked. _

"_They're dead." Hiei's eyes closed. She still continued to talk. "But now __**we **__can run this business together. The way __**we **__always wanted to–"_

_Hiei reacted without realizing what he was planning on doing first. His right hand jerked forward and slapped Mukuro across the face. Hard. _

XII

The man fell to the ground, the shadow men around him moving to catch him, the fuzzy shapes of their heads moving in the direction of Mukuro. The man was dead.

A group of the shadow men fired at Mukuro, who dodged them and began to unleash her throwing knives. Kurama's hands traveled to his hips and took out his whips as he heard some shadow men cry out in pain as they were struck with the knives.

With a deafening crack, the whip wrapped itself around Mukuro's right leg. Uncharacteristic rage flashed in the doctor's eyes as he yanked his whip back, pulling Mukuro to the ground. Jin froze, hesitating to do anything.

The shadow men broke their organized formation when the group literally split into two parts. One consisting of the wounded and unsure. The other moving rapidly to surround the fallen Mukuro.

"Don't!" Kurama's whip snapped back, his one hand out. "Don't go near her!"

They couldn't hear the doctor as Mukuro rose in a rage of being pulled to the ground. Her daggers ripped through the slow ones. The men with the better reflexes were able to dodge and get out of the way fast enough.

Hiei took his katana and threw it, striking Mukuro right through her left shoulder. Her brown eye widened as she looked at Hiei. Her brown hair floated as she fell backwards. Hiei's blood red eyes never looked away in shame or regret.

_What goes around comes around._

XIII

_Mukuro clutched her face, taking two steps backwards. Hiei would __**never **__hit a woman. __**Never. **__ But... he just did._

_It didn't make sense to her. _

"_Hiei...?"_

_Her eyes were flickering between anger and betrayal. She watched him shake and his hands fly to his face, pulling at his skin and hair. She had never seen Hiei so distressed. _

_When he pulled his hands away, Mukuro saw Hiei's eyes and face. They were streaked with tears. _

"_You killed my Father..."_

XIV

Botan's pink eyes widened. Her hand flew up to Jin's leg, tugging on his pants. He paused. He could barely tear his eyes away from the carnage in front of him in order to look down at the Princess.

"J-Jin?"

He knew that she had nothing to say. She was just testing to see if she still had a voice. If her hands still worked. If she still remembered his name.

Jin bent his knees, hearing all of his bones creak and moan as he knelt down beside her. He said nothing as they both turned and watched as Mukuro struggled to stay standing, but the shadow men shot her down. At least five or six shots in her chest.

She fell. As she plummeted towards the pavement, her eye caught the pink orb of the Princess's.

That moment, when evil locked eyes with good, the pulse of time stopping was felt by everyone. A tug at the very deepest parts of their chest. A soft breath blowing down the backs of their spines.

Like I said, everyone felt it.

Mukuro fell onto the ground, eyes closed, and stopped breathing.

Hiei let his shoulders relax and his back crack.

Kurama put his whips back at his sides and checked to make sure that none of his medicine was broken.

Yusuke and Kuwabara had long lowered their guns and were now just staring at the silent shadow men, who had just begun to lower their weapons.

Jin and Botan both let out a held breath.

The shadow men shifted about, the shadows actually their long overcoats and black hats. All was silent and Hiei and Kurama and just turned towards the now united group of the mysterious fighters.

Before anyone could open their mouths, a shadow stepped forward. It hobbled about and used a cane. The man was big, hulking at around six and a half feet tall, and he used a monstrous hand to tip back his hat.

Smiling a toothy grin, a little bit of what looked like a fang poking out on the side, was George. The Royal Guard.

"Allo' chaps!" He walked up to Hiei, offering his hand. The Boss took it, though he looked wary even after being released. "I knew I'd run into you again."

Botan stood and ran over to her guard, hugging him tightly.

"George!" Hiei watched as the big man's eyes widened and he quickly caught her and lifted her in the air for a bit, wincing, and then putting her down. "I thought... I thought you had died..."

His smile faded just a bit.

"I almost did, but what was left of the team found me." He opened the back jacket to expose his bare chest, which was wrapped in many bandages. Then he pulled up his right pant leg to reveal a cast. "I've been better, but I'm going to be just fine, madame."

At the word madame, all of the shadow men removed their hats and bowed, all of them on one knee, except George, how just bowed his head.

The Jaganshi members all looked around, astounded at such loyalty. They were surrounded by the Royal Guard. Jin shifted, a bit uneasy, while Yusuke and Kuwabara became a bit flustered that they tried to intimidate the _**Royal Guard **_of all people.

Hiei was reeling that George had one: not only survived but two: was looking for _him_.

"Hn. Normally I wouldn't thank someone..."

George cleared his throat and the rest of the Guard stood at full attention, looking ten degrees above the horizon.

"Your welcome." He nodded towards the deceased body of the Boss of Makai. "I recognized her from Christmas Eve."

Hiei shook George's hand again, this time initiating it himself.

"You're a very unique person of authority." Hiei's back was straight, his eyes now slack and light hearted. "I like very few people like you."

Botan smiled and shifted her weight from one foot to the next, her arms crossed as she pulled her hood down. Her breath was coming out in long spouts of steam. Snowflakes caught in her hair and eyelashes.

Now that everything had ended, all the chaos and the fighting, she could hear the faint whisper of bells and the voices of a choir rising into the air.

Her head tilted back, looking up into the dark sky as snow still began to fall, now just a bit heavier.

She heard the bang. Her arms and shoulders tensed. Her pink eyes lowered to Mukuro, who was now standing with a pistol in her hand. Her one eye was leaking tears.

The Princess couldn't hear anything but her heartbeat now. Her hands shook as her gaze lowered to her side. Her slender fingers pressed itself to the whole in her jacket. Her blood began to pour out. It seemed like it was in buckets.

_Thump-Thump... Thump._

Botan looked up. Hiei was staring at her, his face whiter than the snow. George stumbled backwards. Jin leaped forward and took the second bullet in the upper left part of his chest. Right by his heart.

The Irish... man leaped forward and plunged a knife into Mukuro's still human heart. His green eyes widened, as though even _**he **_couldn't believe that he had just went through with the action. Avenging his Mother and Father.

He left the knife in her heart, watching her face contort with disbelief and pain. Jin stumbled backwards. He fell to his knees, and sagged forward.

Botan stared at his back even as black spots began to form in her eyes.

_Thump-Thump... Thump._

Jin... why did he... it didn't make sense to her. Even as she cried, the black dots began to get bigger.

_Thump-Thump... Thump. _

Kurama walked up to the Irish boy. He knelt down in front of him, and was saying something, but Botan couldn't hear anything except her own heart.

_Thump-Thump... Thump._

Hiei screamed something at Dr. Kurama Shuiichi. His green eyes flickered over to the Princess and he began to get up.

_Thump-Thump... Thump._

George and the rest of the Royal Guard were in a frenzy. The main Royal Guard was yelling into a phone. Botan could read his lips.

_**The Princess has been shot! I repeat, the Princess of England has just been shot!**_

_Thump-Thu..._

XV

A/N: Oh... my... God... THAT WAS SO INTENSE THAT _**I **_WAS FREAKING OUT ABOUT IT! Ahem... I mean... I am very proud of this chapter. I've been looking forward to it since the beginning lol. Thank you for sticking with the story so far (as you see, if you stick with me to the end, you WILL be rewarded). Well, that is if you think a cliffhanger is a reward... whoops... lol. REVIEW! Tell me if you like it or don't like it! If you liked the emotion or thought there wasn't any emotion! PEACE!

-mia

p.s. Sorry that it took me longer than usual to update. I got my first real flame ever. It was sad, but cool in a way. Anyway, I'm back and ready to go! Review please, tell me what you think! If you want more! Woot!


	19. I Love You

Three Families : I Love You

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. PLEASE, if you read this chapter, tell me what you think of it! I would really like to know. Plus, I really, really LOVE this story so much. Read and Review!

I

The hospital door opened. Kurama stepped out. His red hair had been pulled back and he had those rubber gloves on. His green eyes were blank. Everyone in the small hallway waited for his answer. Even the on looking doctors and nurses paused.

"She's fine." His throat caught. "She's going to be just fine."

George hobbled past Kurama, bumping into him. The Second in Command barely made the effort to catch himself. Yusuke and Kuwabara broke out into a sprint. Even the Boss, Hiei Jaganshi, snapped forward. He stopped, however, just before going inside.

"You did well." He never looked at his dearest friend. "Thank you."

The doctor just stared ahead at the beige hospital wall. Hiei didn't have to turn to know that he was beginning to cry.

II

_Puffs of air left everyone's mouths. Hiei felt time slow painfully as Botan's body began to fall to the ground. Not so far away, Jin and Mukuro both sank to their knees, Mukuro dying at once. Jin was left with a scrap of life. _

_Kurama didn't hesitate. _

_He went right to Jin._

III

"My Lady?" George was biting down tears. The Princess of England groaned as she opened her eyes. "Lady Botan?"

Hiei watched as her pink eyes began to focus.

"George?" She tried to prop herself up on her elbows. The Boss had to stop himself from rushing to her, stopping her from being a baka. She swooned and fell back onto the bed. "What... happened?"

George, loyal body guard, broke down and began to cry. He wiped his nose on his sleeve. He could not form the words for her. His Princess. Hiei watched as her arm moved weakly to George, in an attempt to comfort him._ I can't believe... she's alive._

Her eyes swept the room. It had been filled with the Royal Guard, Hiei, Yusuke and Kuwabara. Her voice was hoarse as she whispered.

"Where's... Jin?"

IV

_Hiei and George screamed at the doctor. It was like their bodies were leaking steam in the falling snow. _

_But the doctor wouldn't listen. He caught Jin and ripped open his shirt. His green eyes widened at the flesh. It was ridden with bullet holes, the blood rushing out. _

"_Oh fuck..." The Irish boy felt his lips quirk at the doctor's curse. "Shit... shit!" _

_The doctor dug into his pocket, fumbling with all sorts of pastes. He swapped them out with his bare fingers, but was stopped. A bloody hand was placed on top of Kurama's. Green eyes looked up into Jin's fading soul._

"_Oi... don't..."_

V

Hiei sent George and all the other boys a sharp glare. _Don't tell her. _His crimson eyes flickered over to her innocent face. _She needs rest._

"He's just resting in the other room." Hiei stepped through to the edge of the bed, hands still in his pockets. His shirt was off, his body wrapped in bandages. His ear was covered in gauze. "Kurama's taking care of him right now."

The Princess sighed and relaxed into the pillow.

"Oh... thank God..."

With that, she allowed herself to fall unconscious. George rounded on Hiei, picking him up with one hand. He pulled the Boss of the Jaganshi Family close, so that their noses pressed into each other.

"_What do you think you are doing?" _The Royal Guard's breath was sour as he whispered fiercely. _"The grief she is going to experience when she is better will be worse!"_

The Boss stepped on George's knees, so that he was standing.

"_She needs sleep." _His red eyes slid to the Princess. _"She'd never sleep if she knew."_

The Royal Guard and his men were tightlipped. They stood up straighter and left the room. Yusuke and Kuwabara shook their head.

"_It's a miracle that she's still alive..."_

Kuwabara wiped his eyes.

"_An angel's got to be watching over her..."_

The two men left. Hiei pulled up a chair and sighed as he brushed some blue hair out of her eyes.

"Baka." He placed his hands over her's. "You and your dumb luck."

That was when he felt her hands twitch. A gasp was lodged in his throat when her eyes opened and a pained smile was on her face.

"Are they gone?" He didn't answer her. She tightened her grip around his hand, trying to pull herself up. Instantly, Hiei's spell broke and he got up quickly, supporting her back with one of his arms. He pulled her up and allowed herself to lean back on the headboard. Her pink eyes were misty as she stared at their entwined hands. "Care to tell me... what really happened?"

VI

"_KURAMA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"_

_Hiei's voice cracked. Kurama ignored him. He was absorbed in Jin._

"_J-Jin, I can help you." He moved his hands as they sloppily applied his treatments. "I can f-fix this."_

_The Irishman knocked Kurama's hand away, coughing up blood. _

"_Please..." A necklace fell out into view. A silver cross. "I've sinned... now let me pay..."_

_Kurama shook his head. _

"_No!" His hands were on Jin's shoulder's. "I can do this! Let me help you!" The doctor's head hung as he began to sob. "You're just a kid..."_

_Jin smiled weakly. He could hear his heart begin to slow. _

"_Do me a favor..."_

_Kurama picked his head up._

"_Yes. Anything."_

VII

Hiei looked away.

"Get some sleep, baka."

The Princess frowned, trying her best to glare at the Boss.

"Tell me. I'm ordering you, as the Princess of England to tell me."

The Boss of the Jaganshi Family felt himself almost smiling.

"Sorry, my lady, but I don't take orders from you."

They both had small smiles on their face. The snow falling outside the window waltzed, making Hiei feel dizzy. He felt... very... different. He thought that maybe... just maybe if he wasn't the Boss of a crime family, then... his life might be like this. Sitting next to a woman... smiling. Happy.

Yes... this could be what a normal life is like...

"He's dead." Her voice broke his far-away thoughts. "Isn't he?"

VIII

_Jin held Kurama's hands tightly. His fading eyes burned holes into the Second of Command. _

"_T-there's an o-orphanage... and inside there's a–" _

"_Amelia." Kurama tried to smile, but his tears were weighing him down. "I knew... before you came to me."_

_The Irishman began to breathe deeper._

"_But... you..."_

_Kurama bent Jin's head down and kissed his forehead. _

"_She'll be fine."_

IX

Hiei said nothing. He couldn't. His eyes moved away from her face as he sat back down in his chair.

"Stop playing around and get some sleep."

A silence floated over them for about five minutes. The Princess kept her eyes on her hands. Hiei watched the snow fall outside the dark window.

"I was engaged once."

Her English accent and her breathy voice would hypnotize any man. Hiei kept his surprise hidden.

"Hn."

"He was a Prince. Mom said it would be great, to unite two lands once again." Just two people in a hospital room. Talking of past times. "I guess it would have been considered an arranged marriage. We didn't know each other, but we still had to go on dates and stuff."

The Boss stretched out his legs.

"Why didn't you marry him?"

The Princess smiled a bit and glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. Hiei was a sharp man. Botan... she had never been married. The signs were so abundant.

"We were friends. And that was all we were ever going to be."

X

_Jin's thick breath whispered a Celtic prayer. He jerked, his fists tightening so they were grasping Kurama's coat. They rocked as Jin's last puff of breath escaped his dry lips. _

_The doctor lowered the boy to the ground. The snow still melted on his cheeks. Hiei screamed again, but the only thing Kurama could hear was his own beating heart. He closed his eyes, and... for the first time in over ten years... he prayed. _

"_My Lord, please, take this soul into Heaven. He's just a young boy who has lost his way." The doctor paused, a bit awkwardly. He had never been to church, so he really didn't know any proper prayers. "Amen."_

XI

"He was a great guy. We would just laugh at the press whenever they took pictures of us together. They'd say 'Come on, give us a kiss,' and we would just shake our heads and laugh."

Hiei knew she was just talking to talk. Sure, maybe she needed to tell someone this, but she was scared. Sad. It was the only way for her to cope. Just to talk. So Hiei did her a favor. He listened.

"What happened?"

A sigh. The sheets rustled.

"He kissed me. Once." Her pink eyes stared at the door. "When he pulled back, he said, 'Do you love me?'. I told him, no. I didn't." Her straight back, such a strict posture, Hiei was actually starting to believe that she straight out told the Prince the truth. "He asked me why."

The Boss shifted in his seat.

"Hn."

"I said... that it was because... of you."

XII

"_Kurama! What the fuck are you doing?" Hiei dragged his Second in Command away from the dead Solider. "Help the Princess!"_

_Kurama was still crying, his face red. He wiped his nose on his sleeve as he ripped open Botan's coat. Then her shirt. When he moved, he felt numb. Like he wasn't in his own body anymore. _

_His fingers pressed the paste into her wounds. He wrapped her up. He stood and backed away from her. As if she were some assignment that was too easy._

"_Get her to a hospital."_

_He turned his back as George shouted at his men, all of them lifting her up and carrying her down the street in a pack. Yusuke and Kuwabara jogged after them. Hiei started to follow, but stopped and turned swiftly on his heel._

"_Come on, Kurama! We can't stay here!"_

_The doctor and the Boss ran together. None of them breathing a word._

XIII

"Me?"

The Boss couldn't believe it. A Princess? Concerned for so long... about him?

"I told him... that... a long time ago, I met you." She had this smile on her face. A smile that said that she _**knew **_that she broke her Mother's heart when she declined the marriage. That she _**knew **_that she made a fool of herself. "And... since then... I've wanted to see you again."

"He thought I was crazy."

She had to have known that it was hopeless. A Princess to meet up with some random pick pocket in New York City.

"My Mother said it would be best if I go live in America for a while. Until all of this blows over." Her smile was tragic. "When she asked me where, I didn't even hesitate to say New York City."

Hiei didn't speak for a long time. The Princess... she was smart and very eloquent with her words. He knew... deep down... what she wanted to say.

"You're a baka." He reached out and touched her hair. "You're one of the biggest bakas I have ever met."

His voice was cold. He saw her flinch and grasp the sheets. But she never moved away from his bandaged hand.

"I know." She faked a laugh. "That's me. Baka onna."

Hiei moved. He leaned over the bed and kissed the Princess. The Princess who was used to very planned kisses. The Princess who had watched American films and thought that all romance was the same.

"Baka onna." He panted as he tried to restrain himself from losing total control. "I hated you so _much_." She winced when his hand brushed up against her stomach. Her hands shot out to grab his wrists. "You infected me. Like a disease."

He attacked her neck. Her eyes drifted shut as her arms slackened. Her lips opened.

"S-sorry–"

The Boss let out a humorless chuckle.

"Baka."

XIV

Yusuke and Kuwabara sat outside. The Detective pulled out a cigarette, his lighter clicking. He shook it, trying to get some juice out. His brow was in a harsh frown, the creases in his forehead deep.

"Excuse me, sir?" Yusuke's brown eyes swivelled upwards just as the flame caught. "This is a non-smoking facility."

Yusuke flipped the lighter shut.

"You've got to be fucking joking."

The doctor stood up a bit straighter, his chin raised.

"I'm afraid not." Yusuke gave him a pleading look. The doctor glanced at the blood on his sleeve and the cut across his face. "There's a lounge, for employees only... follow me."

The Advisor and the Caporegime walked briskly about a step behind the doctor. He opened the door and shooed them inside. The two friends smirked at each other. Yusuke pulled out another cigarette and gave it to him.

"See. I told you it would work."

Kuwabara chuckled as he placed the cigarette between his lips.

"You're an ass."

Yusuke plopped down on the couch kicked off his shoes.

"Yeah, but _this _ass got you an empty room, free coffee and donuts, and a tv."

XV

Two nurses whispered to each other. Their eyes were flickering at the red haired man. Kurama had growing circles under his eyes. He wanted a cigarette, and he didn't smoke.

"Can I help you?"

His sudden speech made the nurses jump. They chattered and then one was sent to speak.

"Pardon?"

He was clammy and cold. He felt like he was one of the living dead.

"You've been staring at me for a half an hour. You're voices are getting just a little bit annoying." He took a shallow breath. "So please... just tell me what you want."

The two nurses were hurt. His words stung. They moved a bit closer, as one would approach a dying animal.

"We wanted to know... i-if you are a d-doctor." He remained silent. The two young women looked at each other. "I-I mean... y-y-you took care of the... Princess of E-England..."

He turned to look at them. His eyes... they burned with rage. The green that had once rivaled the brilliance of emeralds had now faded to a grey-green color. He looked like he had aged about ten years, fifteen years.

"I _**was **_a doctor." He lowered his head and brought his knees closer to him. "I quit the practice a long time ago."

The quieter of the two women bit her nails before squeaking out her question.

"B-but... y-y-you cured her in a m-m-m-matter of m-minutes! That's a-a-a-amazing!"

Kurama stared into her eyes, captivating her on the spot.

"Not everyone thinks so."

XVI

Hiei took Botan's lower lip into his mouth.

"You... out of all the other women I could have had... had to haunt me." He pulled away, Botan unconsciously leaning towards him. His hands cupped her face, his thumbs stroking her cheeks. "Since I was a boy... I... I thought of what it would be like to... be... with you..."

He gazed at her face. Her pink eyes were fully awake and shimmering. Her cheeks were smooth... like flower petals. He leaned in and kissed her chastely.

"And now... now that I have you..." His arms encircled her possessively. "I..." He buried his face in her neck. "I don't know what to do."

Botan patted his back, slowly recovering from such a passionate affair.

"I..." She knew that it was now or never. Now... before she goes back to Europe. Now... before Hiei returns to his life of crime. "I love you."

She felt Hiei tense just a bit.

"I know."

She eased herself away from him, to gaze into his crimson eyes. His hands rested at her waist. It was as if... he had to touch her. To prove to himself that all of this... since the very beginning... had actually happened.

"My Mother is going to want me back with her." A few tears escaped her eyes. "I'm going to have to go back." She nodded towards the door. "When George thinks that I am fit for travel, he is going to take me away. No matter what I say."

Hiei was silent for a long while. The two beings, plucked from different worlds and thrown together, just stared into each others eyes.

"You love me?"

"I do."

He paused. The word... love... was foreign on his tongue. Let alone someone speaking of it to him.

"Do you want to stay with me?"

Botan nodded.

"More than anything."

XVII

"Let's see what's new in our fair city."

Yusuke picked up a remote and turned on the television, flipping to the news. Kuwabara sat beside him, both of them still smoking.

"This is Keiko Urameshi, here at the bloody crime scene of what looks like to be a War between the Jaganshi Family and the Makai Family." Yusuke's eyes widened as he watched his wife. "However, a new twist to this story has just emerged." She blinked four times before continuing. _Keiko... don't cry..._ "It seems that Jin McWhorter, a nineteen year old boy who went missing about six months ago, is one of the deceased."

Kuwabara spat out his cigarette.

"Jin was only nineteen?"

Yusuke was silent, letting his wife finish.

"The other body has been identified as Mukuro, the Boss of the Makai Family." She swallowed and paused before continuing. "A-Authorities are investigating, and comments will be r-released later."

Yusuke bowed his head. He knew why she was so shaken. When she was called to do the story, and the words Jaganshi and Makai were involved, she must have thought that he was going to be one of the bodies. He twisted his wedding ring around his finger.

"Keiko... she's a great gal..."

Before Kuwabara could respond, the door burst open. A Royal Guard appeared.

"Botan! She's–"

He didn't have to continue. His pale face and tear filled eyes said it all. Yusuke and Kuwabara were on their feet as they flew down the hallway, knocking people out of their way.

XVIII

Hiei burst out of the hospital room. His chest was heaving and his eyes were watering.

"Kurama!" The doctor looked up a bit lazily. "Botan! Her heart's stopped!"

The Second in Command was on his feet instantly, his face a mixture of fury and doubt.

"That's impossible! I have her _**my **_formula!" He rushed to her bedside. He lifted her shirt. Her wound was clean. It hadn't even begun to bleed. "I did _**everything**_!" He was sweating as he fumbled through his briefcase. In remorse he knocked everything to the floor. "Dammit!"

Hiei had never seen Kurama in such a state. He was flushed. He was sloppy. The doctor pushed down on Botan's chest in a basic maneuver. He pinched her nose shut, his lips crashing down on her's. He pushed air from his lungs into hers. Her chest heaved. And fell.

Her eyes stared into nothingness.

"Don't. You. Die. On. Me."

He kept on pushing and breathing. Until he began to break down into sobs. Kurama sank to his knees. His hands were pressed to his leaking eyes. Hiei slammed his fist into the wall.

"Fuck!"

George and the other guards were flabbergasted. All they could do was stare at the broken doctor. The Royal Guard turned his head to look at the Boss. His fist was clenched and pressed against his forehead.

His eyes squeezed themselves shut, and to this day, George swore that tears fell from Hiei Jaganshi's eyes.

XIX

A/N: Sorry. Had to leave it off there. Please, if you read this, review. Review if you want more. Review if you don't want more! Please, I'd love to know if I did a good job or a terrible job. Oh, and I know that Hiei was "OOC", but really, since I was building up to it, was it that unbelievable? I'd like to know your thoughts!

-mia

p.s. Was the emotion good?


	20. Grieving

Three Families : Grieving

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. If you read this, please review! Oh, and I'm sorry that I haven't updated. Marching Band is taking on a new level of intensity lol. Well, I'm back and better than ever lol. Please, Read and Review!

I

Hiei and Kurama sat in silence. They were in Hiei's penthouse, a lavish setting that offered nothing to the two men. All the colors turned to grey. Even the sun could not take the staleness away from everything.

Kurama hadn't shaved. He hadn't washed his hair since... since... since Jin died. About two and a half days ago. He stared into a glass that was filled with bourbon. The stink of alcohol had sunk into his tongue, all the way down to his teeth.

Hiei got up and walked into the bathroom. Kurama's grey-green eyes didn't even flicker as Hiei took off his shirt and walked into the bathroom. The doctor heard the shower turn on, the water spraying out. Hissing.

The bourbon burned his throat.

Kurama was sick. He had no cure for his illness. He poured himself more bourbon, sighing when he realized it was empty. He listened to the water from the shower washing the sins off of Hiei. _What stains my skin can not be washed off. _That was how Hiei and him were different.

The shower turned off.

Why did Jin have to choose death? What happened to the hungry boy who came to him, praying that he didn't have to pay the bill? Kurama had watched the young man leave his sister at the orphanage. He watched him strip off his Harvard sweatshirt and give it to her.

Hiei opened the bathroom door, steam billowing out after him. He was only clad in a towel around his waist. He said nothing as he went into his room, closing the door behind him.

Kurama shuffled about the kitchen, looking for more liquor. He didn't usually drink. But now, seeing as how things are, it was a good time to start and never stop. His piano hands wrapped around a vodka bottle.

The door to Hiei's room opened.

Kurama filled a regular water glass with the hard alcohol.

"I'm leaving."

Hiei was dressed in... in a white shirt and tie with black slacks. He looked... normal. The doctor closed his eyes and drank.

"Okay."

The pain in Kurama's chest had dulled to a low throb.

"You're the Boss now."

Kurama's eyes squinted open.

"_**What?**_"

Hiei swiped up the vodka bottle. He poured it down the sink. Before Kurama could even react, Hiei broke wine bottles and crushed beer cans. In seconds, all the alcohol was gone.

"I have things to do." He took the glass out of Kurama's hand and dumped it down the drain. "I'm not coming back. You are my Second in Command. You are the heir to my position."

"Why?" Kurama watched Hiei slip on a jacket. "I can't do this! I can't run the Jaganshi Family by myself!"

Kurama's words were sloppy and slurred. The Boss looked at his Second in Command.

"You're pathetic." Hiei grabbed Kurama's collar. "Jin and Botan are dead! They are never coming back!" The short man looked down. "There's... nothing we... can do..."

He released his friend and stepped back. He picked up a suitcase and stared towards the door. The bubble in Kurama's throat burst.

"_**You loved her!**_" Tears leaked from his dull green eyes. "_**You aren't even disturbed! What is **__**wrong**__** with you?**_"

Hiei stopped, halfway out the door.

"I still... I have things I must do." His red eyes were downcast. "Stop drinking and clean yourself up. Amelia needs someone and Jin _asked_ you to be that person." He took a breath. "Tell Yukina that I am her twin brother." He turned. "Oh, and Kurama?"

The doctor, overwhelmed with booze, emotion, and duty, leaned against the wall.

"What?"

The door began to close.

"Don't try to find me."

The door swung shut. Kurama stared at the closed door. He blinked. He licked his lips. And then blinked again.

It was then that Kurama decided that he had to go to the bathroom.

II

Sister Shizuru smiled at the blonde little girl. The nun placed a plate with a slice of cake on it on the table.

"It's New Years, Amelia." The little girl said nothing. She was ten now, and hope was beginning to fade in those emerald eyes. Hope for what? Shizuru didn't know. "I think that is a cause for celebration!"

She began to eat her piece while Amelia picked up her fork. Shizuru had been assigned to Amelia three days after she came to the orphanage. The only reason her name was known was because of the papers in her small school backpack.

Amelia had not spoken once sine she came, which was over ago.

"Yummy!" Shizuru tried not to sigh as the child chewed her piece slowly. "Do you like it?"

Amelia nodded and took another bite.

Her last name was not known. The only personal item she kept with her at all times was a teddy-bear that was half her size. It wore a necklace that had a heart on it. It was leaning against the chair, watching Amelia eat the dessert.

Shizuru only saw her cry once. Her bear's arm was worn, and it ripped, so that it was hanging by a meager thread. Amelia ran up to the Head Sister, tears streaming down her face, shoving the bear under the woman's waist. The nun raised her eyebrows. She said, 'If you speak, then I'll mend it.' Amelia shook her head and lightly pushed the bear on the woman's waist.

The Head Nun smacked the beat to off of her, walking away.

Shizuru would never forget the look on Amelia's face when she watched her bear fall to the floor, it's arm disconnecting completely.

That night, Shizuru stood outside of the door to Amelia's room. Soft sobs whispered into the night. Shizuru watched that night as Amelia tried to sew. Her fingers bled heavily, the stolen pin prickling her skin raw. She was nine, about nine and a half, when she wiped the blood on the wood of the table.

The next day, the Head Nun screamed as she sat down on a bloody pin. Though all the yells and disciplinary threats, Amelia never unveiled herself as the culprit. She just remained silent.

Shizuru came back to the present when Amelia turned at a knock at the door. A sister stood there, beckoning to Shizuru, not looking at the haunted child sitting the chair eating cake.

"Sister Shizuru?"

Shizuru glanced at Amelia, who had already turned back around and continued munching the delicious treat. The nun stood and walked swiftly to the door, her black dress billowing after her like a cape.

"What is it?"

Shizuru hissed while the other nun pulled her away from the door.

"There is a man... he says that he knows of Amelia. He's got red hair and green eyes." She leaned in whispered. "He's obviously got Irish in him, but I haven't told him yes or no yet. I've got him waiting in the Main Hall. What should I do?"

Without warning, a blur shot past the two nuns. Their eyes were able to focus just in time to see Amelia's blonde hair trailing behind her, like a stallions mane. She rounded the corner, her bear grasped tightly in her right hand.

Her bare feet slapped across the floor as the two nuns rushed after her. Their black dresses opened like the wings of buzzards, chasing the white dove. Amelia ran down the stairs, jumping down. Her knees hurt, her ankles stinging. But she would not give up.

She panted, more and more ravens pursuing her.

Her hands shot out and grabbed at the stone wall, swinging herself into the Main Hall. _Keep running. Don't stop. Never stop. _Her heart was her beat. Her entire body were her weapons. She slid onto the floor, kicking her legs up into the air, swivelling to her feet.

Her eyes landed on the red haired man.

The nuns watched as her knees buckled. Her shoulders slackened and her fists went up to her eyes. Her face glowed scarlet. Wet spots appeared on the cold stone floor as she began to cry.

Shizuru watched as the man gazed at her. His eyes were frozen. Permanently frigid. He walked over to her, his shoes clicking on the stone. His knees bent and he knelt beside her, as if he were about to be knighted.

He turned and whispered into her ear. Whatever he said made Amelia hiccup. Then take her hands away. Her face scrunched up and she wretched over, making horrible sounds of a dying animal.

The man finished, pulling back from her ear.

Amelia's shoulders twitched. She dropped her bear. It bounced on the floor. Once. Twice.

She lunged at the man, her arms wrapping around his neck. Her small form shook as he hesitated, his arms moving awkwardly, trying to pat her back. She clung to him, rocking back and forth.

The man picked her up.

"I'm sorry, but it seems that a tragedy has happened. My nephew has died, and this is his sister, Amelia McWhorter." His voice soothed Shizuru. Something about him... told her that... he knew so much more than she did, but was modest about it. "I'm taking custody of her, if that is okay."

Amelia nodded. Her breathing was still erratic and uneven as she licked her lips.

"T-that's right." All the nuns' breath left them. "U-Uncle K-K-Kurama."

III

The airport pulsed with bodies. Hiei walked swiftly in and out of security. He sat in the seats, waiting to board his flight. Red eyes watched the passengers, many speaking in their smooth, creamy accents. Hiei Jaganshi lowered his gaze, pondering what had happened just two and a half days ago.

_Kurama was on the floor. His potions and pastes broken, seeping into the tile. His eyes were wide, unseeing as he stared straight ahead, his shoulders jerking. _

"_She's dead." His arms hung low, his fingertips brushing the cold floor. "She's dead."_

_Hiei's eyes were glued to the body of the dead Princess. Her eyes were closed. She looked like she was sleeping. The heart monitor screamed, the green line running flat. All her stats were on the rapid decline. Still, Hiei Jaganshi, Boss of the infamous Jaganshi Family, still waited for her to wake up. Her pink eyes would gaze around feverishly, wondering what was causing all the noise. _

_The Princess never stirred. Not even a little. _

_George bawled. His nose was leaking mucus, the slimy trails ending up on the back of his sleeves. The Royal Guards stood strong and silent, unlike their leader. Their misty eyes leaked on occasion, but their backs remained straight. Their jaws were frozen in place. _

_Hiei looked away from the body. As soon as his eyes strayed form the dead Princess, the Boss was pinned to the wall._

_George let his crutch fall to the floor as he grabbed Hiei's collar. His arms were the size of logs, and his logs were currently moving Hiei higher and higher up the hospital wall. The Boss's legs twitched, his face turning red as the oxygen was slowly squeezed out of him._

"_**You told me she was going to **__**live!**__" Hiei's mouth opened, a soft wheeze his only voice. "You said she was going to be __**safe!**__"_

_George grit his teeth, George brought Hiei towards him, only to slam hin back into the wall, hitting Hiei's head. No one in the room moved to stop George. He was a desperate man, his pants the only sound that carried over the shrill tones of the machines attached to the Princess. His hands were still at Hiei's throat. _

"_You __promised__ me..."_

_Hiei's head was starting to turn violet. _

"_I'm..." His voice was almost swallowed by his own emotion and George's hands. "Sorry..."_

_The Boss of the Jaganshi Family began to cry. George's eyes widened. He released Hiei, who fell to the floor, a heap of bones. As he gasped for air, crystal tears left his eyes. The Royal Guard slowly picked up his crutch. As Hiei let tears run down his cheeks, the doctors burst in, disconnecting the blaring machines. _

_But George never looked away from the broken Boss. The Royal Guard couldn't help but think that his tears looked like gems. So small and so rare that they were less liquid than they were solid. _

"Excuse me, sir. Your flight is boarding the aircraft."

Hiei blinked. A flight attendant smiled charmingly at him.

"Hn. Thank you."

He gathered up his small suitcase and dusted himself off, slowly coming back to the real world. The woman walked with him down the narrow hallway. She had short curly hair with blue eyes. She was the perfect picture of a flight attendant.

"You sure were zoned out back there, sir." She sighed as they stepped onto the plane. "Are you excited about your trip to England, sir?"

Hiei walked quickly to first class. He kept his bag by his feet. The woman waited, as if she would not allow the plane to take off if he didn't answer her question.

"That's one way of looking at it."

IV

Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Koenma all were at the Library in New York City. Yukina was with them, sitting on top of the front desk. Koenma was wearing a black suit. Kuwabara still had his grimy and oil stained work clothes on, while Yusuke and Yukina were dressed nicely for work.

"So... Botan... was a Princess?"

Koenma glanced at the quiet Librarian.

"The Princess of England." He sighed. "She was a really great person..."

Yusuke and Kuwabara shared a flask. The ex-Detective dropped to the ground, his back against the front desk.

"When was her funeral?"

The Supreme Court Justice waved at Yusuke. The flask was tossed.

"Yesterday." The dark rings under the Judge's eyes now had a deeper meaning. "The Queen had it at Windsor Castle, since that was Botan's favorite castle." He took a swig of the hot liquid. "She was... she was placed in a tomb inside St. George's Chapel in the Castle."

The Caporegime joined Yusuke on the floor, his dirty boots scuffing the wood.

"Was she cremated?"

Koenma shook his head, tossing the flask to Kuwabara.

"No." He leaned against a bookshelf. "A white marble coffin was made." His eyes closed as he made the memories resurface. "It's of her, wearing a crown with her hands folded on her lab, forever beautiful in stone."

The four sat in silence, every one of them feeling like they were at the edge of life as they knew it. For Yukina, one of her best friends who turned out to be a _Princess_ had just died. For Yusuke, it meant the end of his original view on life, and the ever growing knowledge that he watched royal blood die. Koenma felt the death of a cousin, a friend, and the closest thing he ever had to a sister.

For Kuwabara, it was his heart that was damaged. He had always known Botan since she had started working at the Library. She wasn't a close friend, and she certainly was not blood close as she had been with Koenma. Even so... the chilling whisper of her voice still floated across his mind. He was not great friends with her. But he _**knew **_her.

Footsteps caused them to look up. One had the pattern of a grown man. The other... it's short and quick taps told Yusuke that it was most likely a child, and judging how their pace would increase and decrease only with the older steps, it was most likely a shy girl.

In preparation for actual readers and citizens, Yukina slid back behind the desk. Kuwabara tucked the flask away in his jacket pocket and stood, helping Yusuke to his feet. Koenma ran his fingers through his hair and dusted himself off.

Instead of an actual person walking to the front desk, Kurama appeared.

He looked haggard and tired. Behind him, clutching at the tails of his jacket, was a little girl. Her green eyes gazed at the people in fear. Her grip on Kurama's jacket tightened. Yusuke blurted out what first came to his mind.

"Kurama, what the fu–" Kuwabara elbowed the ex-Detective harshly. "What is going on?"

The doctor brought the girl closer to him, giving her a single-armed embrace.

"Hiei has left. For where, I don't know." The dust between the books shifted. "What I do know is that he's not coming back."

Kuwabara's eyes widened.

"_**What? Why?**_"

The blonde girl gazed at all the unfamiliar faced with a sad fascination.

"I don't know why." The doctor's gaze passed over all the people in the room. "He told me not to look for him and..." His green eyes closed. "And that I am the new Boss."

Yusuke closed his eyes, rubbing his temples.

"This is bad." The Advisor was back into work-mode. "We've got to meet with Yomi, since the Makai Family has pretty much fallen apart–"

"That's not important right now."

Yukina spoke up.

"Kurama?" The new Boss looked at her. "Who is your little friend?"

The girl turned scarlet and hid behind the doctor. Kurama looked behind him, obviously not used to dealing with small children.

"Come on, don't be shy." His voice softened greatly from the chilled tone it had been. "They were all of _his _friends."

A silence fell over the Library as the girl stepped out, her fists still grasping Kurama's jacket.

"My name is... Amelia McWhorter." She sniffed and rubbed at her eyes with the back of her spare arm. "I'm Jin's sister."

Kuwabara and Yusuke's chests deflated, air rushing out of their mouths as if someone had kicked them in the stomach. Koenma straightened his tie, refusing to make eye contact with her. The Librarian stepped out from behind the desk. Walking stiffly, Yukina bent down and embraced the blonde girl.

Amelia's green eyes widened her arms coming up to awkwardly return Yukina's kind gesture.

No words were said, just the warm wave of grief and comfort that washed over the Library.

V

"Thanks for letting me spend the night." Kurama set Amelia down on the couch of Yukina's apartment. He draped a blanket over her sleeping form. "I don't have much in my apartment when it comes to housing other people, especially children."

The Librarian sat down at the kitchen counter.

"No problem. It's the least I can do for you."

Kurama walked into the kitchen, leaning against the stove.

"Before he left, Hiei gave me a list of things to do. One was to take over the Jaganshi Family. Two, was the find and take Amelia into my custody. The third... involves you."

Yukina picked her head up.

"What about me?"

Kurama paused, thinking about how to word his answer.

"Yukina... when you were really small, you were brought to an orphanage." Silence. "You may not remember, but you had a twin brother. He saved your life by running you to the at orphanage. After that night, you were separated, each of you leading different lives."

The Librarian's back straightened.

"How did you know–"

"Your brother was lost in the pools of time. Both of you thought you would never see each other again." The doctor sighed. "But... fate... fate rules us all." His green eyes shifted to Amelia's sleeping body. "He stumbled into the Library, about six years ago, seeking a temporary hideout form the authorities. Once he saw you, he _**knew **_who you were."

Yukina dabbed at her eyes with a napkin.

"I... I don't believe it..."

Kurama nodded solemnly.

"Hiei Jaganshi is your brother, Yukina." His eyes lowered. "He wanted me to tell you that."

Yukina didn't cry for long.

"It makes sense now..." She looked up into the Boss's face. "You don't think... Hiei is going to kill himself, do you?"

Kurama frowned. He hadn't thought of that.

VI

Hiei stretched in the bathroom of a London Airport. _Six hours is too long t o be on a plane. _It was pitch dark out.

Hiei, former Boss of the Jaganshi Family, walked out into the dark and frigid England air.

He knelt down on the pavement under a flickering street lamp and opened his small suitcase.

Three things inside.

A map.

Chap-stick.

One water bottle.

Hiei took out the map and slicked the suitcase shut. He stood and began to walk down the frosty streets of London. He unfolded the map and squinted in the fading light.

"Windsor Castle..."

He turned swiftly on his heels and disappeared, sprinting towards the castle.

_I still have things I must do..._

VII

A/N: OH MY GOD! Please review. The end of the Three Families is drawing near! Oh, and sorry that it has taken me long to update. School was half of the reason, but the second half was our EPIC MARCHING BAND. Coughs. Yeah. We went to a competition tonight and owned lol. J/k, but for our first competition, we rocked out hard. Oh, please, PLEASE review. I want to know what you think of this chapter. Was it good? Did you like it?

-mia

p.s. THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER!!! **NOT **THE LAST CHAPTER!!


	21. Til Death Do Us Part

Three Families : Til Death Do Us Part

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. Seriously, though, I think that for the amount of views, I should have gotten more. But, whatever. This is the last chapter, and those of you who have stuck with this story will not regret for doing so. Prepare yourselves for the last chapter of Three Families! Read and Review!

I

Amelia McWhorter sat in the car of her adoptive father, Kurama Shuiichi. He had grown older, the hair at this temples greying. Then again, his aging was probably bumped up from all the events he had been through.

"Thank you for driving me."

The blonde, who was now seventeen years old, leaned back in the passengers seat.

"No problem."

The Irish teenager stared out the window.

"Will you visit me?"

The doctor slowed and stopped at a stop sign.

"Of course." He slowed down at a house. "Remember, no matter what you learn, that will always be your second hand information." They were at the end of a dirt driveway. "The medicinal herbs, pastes, and acupuncture treatments I have taught you have been around the Shuiichi family since the beginn–"

"I know, Dad. I know."

Jin's sister smiled and began to stretch, getting ready to leave the car.

"So... how do you know these people again?"

Amelia was getting her backpack.

"Their daughter goes to the same private school that I went to. I was like... a kid who would show her the ropes and stuff." His daughter got out of the car, Kurama following suit. She dragged two suitcases out and slung her backpack over her shoulders. "She's... eight now, I think."

Kurama nodded, then saw the small briefcase that Amelia had. He almost smiled.

"Call me when you get to college. Remember, I gave you a number for a cab so th–"

"I know."

They stopped and began to laugh. Kurama shook his head.

"You're great. The greatest thing that happened to me."

His voice wasn't full of pure love. No. It was tainted by seeing Amelia's brother die. By feeling his blood on his hands and fulfilling his one request. It was a hard love. A love that emerged from death and mayhem.

"And you to me." Amelia hugged her Father. "I love you."

Kurama closed his eyes, his nose buried in her blonde hair.

"I love you too." He pulled back and smiled at her. "Now, after the babysitting, you go give medical school a run for their money!"

Amelia gave Kurama a mock salute.

"You got it!"

She turned, dragging all of her things down the dark, stone driveway. Kurama watched until the shadows swallowed her completely before stepping back into his car, driving back to New York City.

And as he drove, the lights on the highway fading into one fuzzy stripe, he began to think about Hiei.

II

_Hiei grunted as he jumped the gates to Windsor Castle. His eyes squinted as he landed on the other side. He wrapped himself in his cloak and began his planned trek. He knew where all the cameras were and all of the Guard's shifts. _

_He arrived at Saint George's Chapel. Without pausing or even thinking, the once infamous Boss of the Jaganshi Family stepped inside, the heavy doors closing after him. _

III

As Amelia saw the house come closer into view, she began to think about her brother Jin. She was sure that he would have been so happy to hear that she was going into medical school at seventeen. He would be brimming with joy.

That is... if he was still alive.

The future doctor arrived to the fair house. It was nice, three stories and a Victorian feel to it. The home of Aisha Sellick.

Amelia sighed, still a bit nervous after knowing the girl for years. The only thing was... she had never been over her house before.

A slender index finger pressed on the doorbell, an electronic tone filling the lit house.

The door swung inward, and Amelia looked down to see a grinning Aisha. The smaller girl sprang on Amelia, almost knocking the wind out of her.

"It's so good to see you!" The little kid detached herself from the teenager to see all the bags. "Are you moving in with us?"

Amelia laughed as she allowed herself to enter the house, rolling in the suitcases and keeping a tight grip on her medicine briefcase.

"No, no, just going off to med-school."

A loud and dreamy exhale came from a doorway. Amelia turned to see a woman... a beautiful woman leaning on the doorway. She had a regal look to her a proud smile emerging onto her face.

"Wow. Good for you. You're only seventeen, right?" Jin's sister could only nod as the tall woman walked over, her high heels clicking on the floor. "Aisha has talked a lot about you." She extended her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Mrs. Sellick, but you can call me Monique."

The blonde teenager shook Monique's Sellick's hand, smiling. That was when another person's voice entered the room.

"Aisha, don't forget your manners."

The little girl flushed with a self-critical embarrassment. She cleared her throat.

"Amelia, I'd like you to meet my Mother and Father, Monique and Elias Sellick."

Amelia's eyes traveled to Elias. His cold stance and piercing eyes were enough to scare any man, so the teen didn't feel abashed when she shivered under his stare.

"Aisha has said the greatest things about you." He slipped his arm around his wife. "It's an honor to meet you."

Although Amelia had never met this man, she was almost certain that such statements did not come from Mr. Sellick often.

"Thank you. It's nice to meet you as well."

IV

_The stone was cold in the chapel. Hiei walked though the church, aware that all the saints in the stained glass were watching his every move. The organ was quiet. The priest was gone. Hiei was all alone. _

_He stopped at a white marble coffin. Candles flickered around it. Piles of gifts from locals and the Royal Family themselves gathered around the foot of the fantastic coffin. _

_The ex-Boss touched the lips of the carving of Botan. He closed his eyes and parted his lips. _

"_There's a place for us..."_

_The low tenor voice wavered as Hiei Jaganshi began to sing. _

"_A time and place for us..."_

V

Mrs. Sellick was in a dark blue dress. It was very... fitting. Amelia wondered if they were going to a really fancy restaurant, since Elias was dressed in slacks and a white shirt and tie. Elias took off a long black overcoat and slipped it on.

"Name your price when we get back." His eyes shifted to his daughter. "Stay out of trouble."

Aisha nodded and waved as her Mother and Father walked out of the house, the rumble of the engine of their car filling the air. Amelia set down her briefcase.

"So, what do you want to do, Aisha?"

Amelia watched as a smile spread across her lips.

"Let's play knights!"

The teenager smiled and nodded.

"Okay. Tell me how."

Aisha grabbed Amelia's hand and dragged her down the hallway, up stairs, and into her room. She found two bamboo sticks.

"We joust, in order to protect the King and Queen!"

Amelia fumbled with the stick.

"Okay. Outside, though."

They both rushed to the door. Soon, the cracks of sticks were being heard. Amelia was slower than the trained little kid. Still, it hurt when the bamboo stalk hit the teen in the legs. Biting her lower lip, the teen only pushed herself further.

The moon was their only light, and the thrill of the night pumped them. Amelia felt herself experiencing the childhood she never had. The grins and laughter that she squashed out of herself in the Orphanage.

The sticks were dropped and hands were the only weapons.

Kurama didn't tell Amelia all together what happened to her brother. Jin... her dear brother. The one person that kept her going in the silence. The one love that she waited for. The love for her brother... and the only person who showed up was some guy who said he knew him.

Amelia tickled Aisha, making the little girl squeal.

The first thing he told her was that her brother never strayed from the path of virtue. Kurama told her that he worked day and night to avenge the death of her parents. To make a good life for the two of them.

Their breaths came out in puffs in the chilly night air.

Amelia cried a lot. To hear that her brother had joined a Crime Family, for her... was overwhelming. She felt so small... like she had done nothing but given up her speech. There were several nights were Kurama did not get any sleep. She kept on wondering why Jin didn't want to be saved. That was the last thing Kurama told her.

"Can we go back inside now?" Aisha breathed deeply. It had been hours... their eyes adjusted to the dark. "I'm tired."

He gave up his life because he felt the sin was too great. Jin thought that Amelia wouldn't be able to look him in the face. Unable to touch him, hold him, cry with him if he had killed another. Even if that person was responsible for the reason why their life went to shit. Amelia had screamed in rage. She had scraped her throat to nothing. Screaming at her dead brother for leaving him. For being an idiot and thinking that Amelia would stop loving him.

"Sure."

VI

_The air was cold and still. Dust was suspended in the air as Hiei took another breath. _

"_Hold my hand we're halfway there..."_

_He took off his cloak. He took a piece of cloth from his pocket and tied it around his mouth, gagging himself. Hiei gripped the edges of the marble tomb and bit down on the cloth, his eyes squeezing themselves shut as he began to push the top._

"_Hold my hand and I'll take you there..."_

_The royal white stone grinded and moaned as it began to move. _

VII

Aisha rubbed her eyes, coming out of the bathroom in her pajamas. Amelia walked her upstairs, tucking her into bed.

"Before I go to sleep... can you tell me a story?"

The Irish teen smiled as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"What kind of a story?"

The little girl, her hair a midnight black, leaned against her pillow, her eyes glazed over with a sad misty gleam in them.

"The best story ever. One that you can fall in love with."

Amelia paused for a long time. Before Aisha thought she had forgotten or ignored her, Amelia began to speak.

"Once upon a time, there was a Thief, a Princess, a Witch Doctor, a Merchant, and a valiant Knight." Green eyes closed, deep breaths were slowly being taken. "The Princess was in disguise as a servant... and one day, the Thief wandered into her home, wounded and needing help."

"While she was mending him, the Princess fell ill." Aisha's eyes widened. She was ensnared by the tale. "The Thief had a pain in his heart. He didn't know why, but he felt bad when he normally would have left."

Aisha snugged into the sheets.

"What happens next?"

"Well, the Thief calls all of his bandits together. He says that he had to protect this servant and help her get better. He summons his Witch Doctor who was his best and most valued friend. And... in all the excitement, the valiant Knight slipped in as a spy."

"The Princess became better, but the bandits had grown too fond of her. The Merchant, who was sly, had even fallen to the Princess's kind heart. The Knight, who was going to bring down this Family of Bandits, began to doubt himself."

"How could he hurt his friends? He had grown accustomed to the Witch Doctor. He respected the King of the Thieves. He decided that he would stay... and help the servant girl home."

"But not all was well with their plan. An evil Witch came after them, telling them that their precious servantwas actually a Princess."

Aisha sniffed.

"Oh no! The Thieves better not leave the Princess for the Witch!"

Amelia shook her head.

"It did cross the King of Thieves's mind, but he realized that he couldn't leave the Princess alone. He had fallen in love with her."

VIII

"_Somehow..."_

_Hiei lifted up the top, the muscles in his arms on the brink of ripping in half. He quickly placed the top on the ground. He panted, ripping the gag off of this mouth as his eyes finally focused. _

_The moonlight shone through the windows in the roof of the chapel. Its silver beam washed over the Princess. Her eyes closed, her entire body still as death... she looked beautiful. Hiei touched the side of her cheek. _

"_Some day..."_

_A loud gasp for air was heard. _

_The Princess sat up, clutching her throat. Her pink eyes now sparkled with life. The color rushed back to her cheeks as she began to shake. _

"_Somewhere..."_

_Hiei hushed her, letting her sip the water from the bottle. The Princess could only clutch him, taking everything in. Taking in oxygen. Feeling her heartbeat again. _

_Feeling... life..._

IX

"The Princess began to come up with a plan of escape. To sail across the seas where she could return to her people and rightful place as heir to the throne."

"The King of Thieves agreed, but deep down, he did not want her to go. He had started to think of living with her, of leaving his Family of Bandits."

"That was when the Witch swooped down from the skies, cackling and throwing magic spells at the bandits. She said she was after the Princess, and the bandits rose to fight. The Witch Doctor used his vines to fight her. The Knight used his sword. The Thief used his dagger."

"But... the Princess... who could not fight... was fatally wounded."

"The Witch was defeated... but... the Princess still lay on the ground, on the edge of life's line. The Witch Doctor could find no cure, and was helpless as the King of Thieves began to cry."

"That was when the Knight, valiant and innocent, stood and offered himself to the Gods. He said, Take me, Take me and spare this Princess!"

Amelia turned to Aisha's wide eyes.

"If you want to help the Knight, clap you hands. Do you want to help him and the Princess?"

The little girl nodded, her short hair bouncing.

"I do! I do!"

"Then clap your hands!"

The two girls quickly clapped, their hearts racing.

"So the Gods looked down at the Knight. They said, Good Knight, you are indeed a great man."

"The Gods took his soul, bringing him to Heaven. He waved goodbye and said to the King of Thieves, Love her. She loves you and you love her."

"The Knight disappeared from the living world and watched as his friends mourned him. The Witch Doctor and the Merchant began to write about him, documenting their adventures. The King of Thieves left his Family of Bandits and sailed over the sea to the Princess's land."

Aisha yawned.

"Do they live happily ever after?"

Amelia smiled and kissed the small girls head.

"Of course. The two arrive and become married, bringing an age of peace and love to the entire world..."

Aisha smiled as her eyes drifted shut with sleep. Amelia turned off the light and slowly got up and off of the bed. Closing the door, the teenager sighed. Tears began to fall as she though of her brother, up in Heaven.

_I know that is where you are, Jin. I know... I know..._

X

_Hiei helped Botan out of her coffin. She was still shaking as Hiei grunted and lifted the top back onto its proper place. He grabbed her shoulders and kissed her. He kept on whispering to her, whispering and whispering that he would never leave her. Never again. _

_They ran out of the castle. Well, Hiei had to carry the Princess. He quickly jumped up and over the Gates. He kept on running, to the airport. When they slowed, Hiei finally talked, his voice calm. As if Botan had never died. _

"_I've got a house in New York State. We'll have plenty of money. I'm not a Boss anymore."_

_Botan still had tears of joy streaming down her face. _

"_Together?"_

_Hiei nodded. _

"_Together."_

XI

Amelia was on the couch, sleeping. The door opened, and Mr. And Mrs. Sellick stepped inside. Instantly, the future doctor was up, rubbing her eyes and standing to greet them.

When her eyes focused, she blushed and looked down at her toes.

Mr. And Mrs. Sellick were kissing, slowly. Monique pulled away, teasing smile on her lips. That was when they both realized that Amelia was there.

"Oh, good evening, Amelia."

Elias smirked.

"Hn. Stayed up all night, kid?"

Amelia nodded and the husband and wife motioned for her to come into the kitchen. Jin's sister noticed the marks on Mrs. Sellick's neck. Fighting the urge to giggle and look away, Amelia bit her lips. They had gone out to dinner... and then had... sex.

"How much do we owe you?"

Monique smiled, her pink eyes sparkling. Amelia shrugged.

"It doesn't matter. It's always a joy to be with Aisha."

Hiei rolled his eyes as he took out his wallet.

"She's a demon, I swear."

Amelia returned his chuckle. Botan poured herself a glass of water, then another for their babysitter. The blonde teen took it, sipping it.

"Amelia, you seem so ambitious for a girl your age."

Jin's sister knew it was an abstract form of a question. Even Elias Sellick wanted to hear an answer as he leaned up against the window sill.

"I guess... I guess that I'm trying to make my brother proud... because... I... I don't know."

The husband smirked.

"If your brother isn't impressed at you getting into Medical School at seventeen years old, I think I'll have to give him a piece of my fist."

Just as Monique and him were beginning to laugh, Amelia tilted her head down.

"He's dead."

The two fell silent. Mrs. Sellick touched Amelia's shoulder.

"Oh, sweetie, we're sorry–"

"It's fine." Amelia knew she sounded cold. She knew, and she didn't care. "Jin McWhorter... he was great, and I know that right now he's looking down at me... telling me, 'Work harder, Amelia. Work hard and achieve everything that you possibly can."

Amelia's green eyes didn't see Mrs. Sellick turn ashen grey. They didn't see the tears behind her eyes. What she did hear was a low grown from Elias. His pain... in both body and soul, was apparent.

"Shit... fuck..."

He rolled up his pant leg, and Amelia found herself looking at a... bullet wound.

"It acts up... sorry, Amelia..."

The teenager could only stare. Her eyes were opened. Suddenly she could see everything. She saw the short man in front of her. His black hair and red eyes. She saw his well toned body. Amelia saw his cold and smug attitude with the authority to run the Jaganshi Family. Amelia saw Hiei Jaganshi.

She also saw the regal pose and air of Botan. She saw the little crease in the dress at her stomach. A crease where scar tissue would be from a bullet wound. Amelia saw a crown on her head. A Princess. A Queen. Amelia saw Botan, Princess of England.

"Oh... oh my God..."

Amelia covered his eyes as her throat tightened. As tears poured out of her, sobs rocked her body. Botan got up, hugging her.

Amelia could only clutch onto her.

"They... they t-t-t-told me y-y-y-you were d-dead!"

Hiei stared at the sobbing teenager on his kitchen floor.

"We know..." He looked out the window into the night sky. "We know."

XII

Kurama sped down the country roads of New York. Amelia McWhorter had called him, tears and mucus weighing down her voice. All she had said was that she needed to be picked up, right away.

The doctor sped down the driveway, dust kicking up. He almost forgot to park his car as he dashed to the door, yanking it open.

He ran into the warm house. His green eyes darted around the room for his daughter. He turned at voices, charging.

When he entered the room, all of his speed was met with a brick wall. His legs suddenly stopped working. His heart stopped beating. His lungs stopped breathing as he blinked. Once. Twice. Three times.

"Hiei?" The ex-Boss of the Jaganshi Family was drinking tea with... "Botan?" the Princess. Amelia was sniffling still. Her eyes were red from past tears. "W-what... w-what...?"

Hiei walked towards him, his face as flat as ever. That bastard.

"Kurama... you've done great..."

The doctor was paralyzed. He wanted to scream. To scratch at Hiei for leaving him. For leaving and not even calling. Not once. He wanted to cry at seeing Botan... alive! Alive and well! He wanted to laugh... to laugh and just put all of his grief in the past.

Instead, Kurama lunged forward and swept Hiei up in the fiercest hugs he had ever given. Hiei's arms jerked... until finally patting his old friend on the back. The gold band on his left ring finger glittered.

"Why did you leave? Why didn't you tell me? You could have told _me_!"

Hiei closed his eyes, squeezing the doctor. His friend.

"I know... I'm sorry." Kurama began to sob, though no tears would fall from his eyes. "I'm sorry..."

XIII

Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Yukina sat at Kurama's apartment. Yusuke's hair was starting to turn grey, and he had grown a mustache.

"Kurama, what's up, man?"

Yukina had been pouring tea. Her belly bulged with life... with Kuwabara's future child.

"You are so uptight."

The doctor and Boss of the Jaganshi Family sighed.

"I'm fine. Just wait for a few more minutes."

XIV

Aisha, Botan, and Hiei stood outside of Kurama's door. Botan kissed Hiei, softly. Chastely.

"Are you sure about this?"

Hiei nodded.

"It's been long enough. Fate led us to Amelia."

_There's a place for us..._

Aisha tugged at her mother's skirt.

"Who are we visiting today, Mommy?"

_A time and place for us..._

Botan smiled down at her daughter. Her pride and joy.

"Old friends. Great friends."

_Hold my hand and we're halfway there..._

Hiei's hand slipped into his wife's. He squeezed her hand slightly.

_Hold my hand and I'll take you there..._

Aisha straightened her back for good posture.

_Somehow..._

Botan took a deep breath.

_Someday..._

Hiei's other hand reached out and knocked on the door.

_Somewhere..._

The door opened. Hiei, Botan, and Aisha stepped inside. They moved towards the living room, and they looked into the eyes of their friends. As the entire world stopped, as the entire world held its breath, Hiei began to think of everything he had been through.

The death of Chuu, Jin, and Mukuro. Rescuing his sister. Watching Botan... the one woman that he had ever truly loved... get shot and die. He remembered being in the hospital room, asking her if she trusted him. Giving her three drops of Kurama's potion. Giving her three days of death.

As the world held its breath, Hiei saw his wedding. The small wedding. He saw himself pacing in the hospital room when Aisha was born.

"Hiei?"

His chest burned. Botan bowed her head in greeting. He loved Botan. He really did.

"Botan?"

The eyes of their friends were terrified. Terrified, astonished, and in utter agony.

"Is that really you?"

The three of them stood as time stopped. Hiei suddenly realized that everything was going to be okay. He had been to hell and back. He had sinned. He had murdered. But he was going to be okay.

He squeezed his wife and mate's hand. God he loved her.

"It is." He let out the breath that he didn't know he had been holding. "It's good to see all of you again."

"_And the King of Thieves said to his Family of Bandits, I have missed you all. The Queen declared all of the Bandits Knights of Royal Honor. The King of Bandits remained retired from his life of crime, but knew his place in the world. Beside his wife and Queen."_

"_When asked about what he had been doing for all of those years when he had been overseas, the King of Thieves told them the truth. He said, I have found the one I love. And... as my Father told me, when you find the one you love, never let them go."_

"_And the Family of Bandits, the King and Queen of Thieves... lived happily ever after until the end of time..."_

"_The End..."_

XV

A/N: Yes... it's over. I'm sorry, but it is over. But Botan isn't dead, and everything is good again, right? Okay, well, I would love to hear your feedback. Did you like the ending? Did you see it coming? Did you cry? Did you laugh? Or did you just get indigestion? Please, review. I love this story so much... and I hope that you do too.

Love,

Orphan Mia.

P.s. If you couldn't tell, I've picked out the song Somewhere from Westside Story since the beginning. And I've just watched E.T. the Extra Terrestrial.


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